Operation: Onna
by GundamTrinity
Summary: Also entitled: Why You Should Never Let Duo Push That Button  Or mess with any other unknown devices.  Because when he does... things get pretty crazy. Written for '10 MoR comp  Cliches . Co-written: StandingOnTheRooftops and AnimeChan123. Very funny!
1. Chapter 1

**Title: Operation: Onna**

**Authors: Animechan123 and StandingOnTheRooftops**

**Prompt: Written for 2010 MoR competition. Secrets, Matchmaking- and possibly a dash of 'Obliviousness'**

**Disclaimer: Neither Animechan nor Rooftops own Gundam Wing. Not for lack of trying, though. ^_^**

**Summary: Why you should NEVER let Duo push 'that' button. Just keep Duo far, far away from ANY unknown devices, okay? It will save all the boys a lot of headache... as this story will prove.**

**Warnings: Probably PG-15 or so. Nothing too graphic, though. Humour, sap, fluff, mild angst. Yaoi pairings. Set Post-EW.**

****

Operation: Onna

* * *

"I can't believe we have to go find the lab!" Duo whined as they walked through the almost deserted streets of L1. The Gundam boys had been sent on a mission to find their mentors labs. However- Duo had the map of L1 when they were driving there and got them lost. Now they had to walk through the streets because there was no other way of getting through the old broken streets. Heero and Wufei begun to get annoyed at Duo's constant whining. They were both ready to hit him. "Who ever thought that we'd be tracking down the plagues of chaos after all this time?" Quatre and Trowa didn't seem to care as they were too busy in each other's company to notice what Duo was actually complaining about.

"Duo if you don't shut up I am going to –"

"I know. I know. _Omae o Korosu_!" Duo interrupted Heero's little rant. Duo sighed. "I'm just saying how on earth are we going to find something that until this morning we didn't even know existed?"

"Duo, you're starting to annoy us!" He said coldly as he gave his famous glare at the back of Duo's head.

Wufei rolled his eyes and folded his arms as he watched the two obviously-in-love boy's fight. "You two are like an old married couple having a love quarrel." Wufei commented. Duo and Heero spun around to look at Wufei. Both glared. Quatre and Trowa almost bumped in to Wufei.

"We do not go out!"

"There is no such thing as love."

"No way, not as long as I'm the God of Death."

Quatre sighed. Even after the war Duo still called himself the God of death. Quatre turned to Trowa to see if the emerald-eyed wonder would jump in and stop them before Wufei was nothing but a pile of melted goo on the floor from all the glaring.

"You saying you boys don't believe in love?" Asked a shrivelled old voice.

Five sets of eyes turned suddenly. Standing in a doorway... that Quatre could have sworn was not there five seconds ago... was a rather old woman. Her tan skin was wrinkled from age, her dark brown hair gone mostly white, but her eyes were a clear and sparkling green, vivid and alive with life and light. She wore a white peasant blouse and a blood red skirt with a brown sash tied about her waist.  
"Love does not exist," Heero repeated emphatically. "Anger is an emotion. But love is not."  
"Why do you say that, boy?" The woman asked.  
"I have never felt it," Heero shrugged. "So how can I say it exists?"  
The woman's eyes narrowed on him. "You cannot always feel the air, either, son. But you know it's there all the same, because without it you'd die." Her gaze racked over the group of teenagers. "Follow me," she motioned, turning back in the doorway and disappearing through a curtain of jingling beads.  
"We have a mission to complete," Wufei reminded them, "We don't have time to be humouring foolish old women."  
"It'll just take a second," Trowa replied, ducking through the curtain. He'd lived with the circus long enough to know that not all gypsies and fortune tellers were crocks, but that some actually seemed to be genuine.  
Quatre shrugged and followed his lover through the door. Duo and Heero shared a look; one that clearly translated the trouble 03 and 04 could get themselves into, before quickly following their team-mates. Wufei growled, muttering an oath, and walked into the room beyond the curtain.

* * *

Quatre felt as if something strange was going to happen as he followed his Trowa. Quatre remembered being at the circus many times when Trowa explained how most fortune tellers were fakes and only did it to get money or something. In the back of Quatre's mind he wished he had listened to Wufei but he also knew that he had to follow Trowa in there just in case. Besides it might be fun to see what the woman would say about them. No doubt it would be about love, or a loss in the family. Well if it was a family loss and they said it about one of the other boys they'd know it to be wrong because Quatre and kind of Trowa were the only ones who had siblings. Quatre was surprised to see two women through the door. Quatre felt the need to stay close to Trowa.

Trowa could feel the young blonde's nervousness about being in this place. Trowa wrapped his arm around the young blonde and wondered what these women would be doing in this part of the colony. It wasn't exactly the most prosperous area. Seemed a perfect place for a secret lab. He watched as the first woman said something to the second. Duo and the others joined them a few seconds after. Trowa could see they were reluctant to come here. He understood that but what harm could they possibly do to them.

"So you do not believe in love?" Asked the second woman. She looked similar to the first woman it was likely they were siblings. "Then you are blind. You do not see what two of you already have."

"Be cautious for if you do not see, you will never understand."

"Love is something that can be seen, but can't be seen."

Duo and Heero got annoyed at how the women acted to their comments earlier. They didn't like the fact that these old bats were giving them advice on their lives. Duo and Heero had nothing wrong with respecting elders... but not these two women.

"Listen, ladies," Duo said, smiling with his almost frighteningly real jester's mask. "It's been nice and all, but we've got places to be, things to destroy, y'know, the usual? So if you'll excuse us, we'll just get going..."  
"Stop," the second woman commanded. Duo paused, not at all liking the woman's tone. It reminded him of a bossy grandmother.  
"You will stay long enough to have your fortune's told, no?" the first woman asked, motioning to a small table with a stack of cards on it.  
"Well..." Quatre sounded really unsure.  
"If two of us agree to this, can we go?"  
"You can go either way, son," the second woman said. "But we really would like a chance to read into your lives. My sister Esmeralda can read the cards for someone." Green eyes speared Wufei, who had remained silent since entering the room. "You, silent one. I will scry for your future."  
Wufei snorted. "You're going to look into a silly crystal ball and tell me that I'm going to meet the woman of my dreams and or that I've had great heartache in my life. Puh-lease. I don't need the waste of my time."  
"SIT," the woman commanded, motioning towards a chair in front of a second table. Upon the table rested nothing but a shallow bowl of water and a candle on either side. Wufei snorted again, but did as he was told. Even if they were batty old women, he'd been raised to respect his elders... and plus, he already knew she was crazy, and it looked like Duo was already lining up at the other table.

* * *

Duo sat at the table waiting for the old woman to do her thing. Esmeralda pulled out a deck of cards and perfectly placed them on the table she then started to pick a card from the top of the pile. Duo didn't even bother looking at the card just tried to stair the woman out. Duo didn't believe in psychics, but he believed in empathy. Of course he had to, Quatre was empathic. But there is a big difference between them. Quatre can put himself in to others shoes and feel what they feel. Anyone could do that if they tried. Most good actors did it... Not to the standard Quatre can but still. Being able to see the future or get a glimpse of it is impossible.

"You seem to have had a tough life. A life of revenge, hatred and loss." Esmeralda spoke. No shit Sherlock, Duo thought. There had been a war. At least one person in each family had gone and fought in the war. "Yet you found little happiness from the war." Yeah I got my four best friends here, don't I. Duo did in some way respect the old bag but still didn't believe her. She turned over another card. "In the next few days you will be extremely confused, and have a difficult time accepting things." Duo had no idea what she was talking about. Duo was confused now, at how this woman thought that she knew what was going to happen in the next few days. "Over time you will change your ways and experience new emotions you have never felt before."

"New emotions I have never felt before?" Duo asked unimpressed by this woman. "Lady I don't know what tree you've been barking up, but you certainly need to stop this now."

"Watch your tongue boy." Esmeralda snapped. "You might just regret those words." Duo didn't like her tone one bit. In a way he felt sorry for the woman for believing she had a mystical power to see in to the future.

* * *

Wufei watched as the woman settled on the other side of the table. She tapped a single fingertip to the surface of the water in the bowl and waited or the ripples to stop. She stared so intently at the water that Wufei chuckled a little at her.  
"You're crazy, lady," he said simply.  
"And you are a foolish young boy," she replied. "I see a very, very painful past. You've lost someone very, very dear to you."  
"We all have," Wufei countered. "You'd be hard pressed to find someone who hadn't lost with the war going on." he could only imagine Duo was going through something similar. The woman looked up from the reflective surface.  
"Yes, we have. But you... it hurts you more than most. I see a young woman in your life. A bright, vivacious light... extinguished." She covered the flame of one candle with her hand. A wisp of smoke trailed up into the air from where the flame went out.  
Wufei growled. "You know nothing," he snapped. "Women and bleeding hearts shouldn't fight!"  
"You may soon change your tune on that belief," she stated simply before carrying on. "And I see confusion in your future. Difficulties you will have to overcome. A great test of strength and will."  
"Crazy old bat," Wufei said.  
"I see someone in your future..."  
"Tall dark and handsome?" Wufei smirked, realizing the age old line.  
"Tall, yes," she said, peering into the bowl. "Handsome, most certainly. But no... Not dark. Dark of soul, maybe. A clouded and pained heart. But fair of visage."  
Wufei laughed.  
"Crazy," he declared. "Crazy old bat. 01,02,03,04... let's go."  
"Right with you, Wuffers," Duo replied. Quatre and Trowa both spared one final look at the two old women before following their comrades back out into the artificial sunlight of L1.

* * *

"Can you believe those women tried to tell our future and got all mystical on us?" Duo laughed his head off as they continued walking. Wufei and Heero had to admit it was rather amusing at what the women tried to do. "I mean come on, how delusional do you have to be to do that?"

Quatre on the other had did not see this situation in such a funny way. Saying it was stupid and not logical fair enough but to say it as if it was something wrong with them. "But Duo they seemed really genuine. " Quatre stated. He wasn't one to stop the fun his friends were having but... "It almost seemed as if they worshipped everything they did. Like a religion or something."

"Quatre, it's not. You've seen them many times at the circus." Trowa stated as he tapped his lovers shoulder. "Remember when you went to the one last time you came to see me preformed?"

"Yeah I guess it is stupid." Quatre sighed and put a cute little smile on his face. Duo wrapped his arm around Quatre and joked about how it was just old age getting to the women and that they should just forget about them and head over to this secret lab. After a few more minutes of walking they reached their destination.

It looked like an old abandoned warehouse; the roof was partly torn off, one of the doors was hanging off its hinges and all the windows were broken. This was the lab. Looks like it had seen better days. Perfect place to hide a lab, no one would suspect a suspicious mad scientist to put their secrets in here.

"Heero are you sure this is right?" Asked Wufei, doubting 01 ability to hack information.

"Yes." Heero said coldly. "Apparently it's underneath this warehouse."

"Well then let's go!" Duo yelled racing in. Quatre and Trowa sighed as they watched the hyperactive teenager run into the building followed by Wufei and Heero. Trowa turned to Quatre and asked.

"Think he's ever going to calm down?"

Quatre turned to Trowa and smiled sweetly. "If that day comes, remind me to hand the company to one of my sisters." Trowa's lips curved into a small smile as he leaned down and kissed Quatre, before they started to walk after their friends.

* * *

It took Heero two tries, but finally he had to admit defeat and let Duo take over picking open the lock on the door. It had taken them a few minutes to search around and find the rectangular seems in the floor, and the padlock that secured the doors... for that's what they were. Two doors built into the floor. It took Duo all of forty-six point seven seconds to flick the lock off.  
"Who's the man?" He demanded, twirling the lock around his finger.  
"Baka," Heero muttered as he and Trowa each grabbed a hold of a door and pulled. The joints were a bit rusty and creaked the boys pulled with all their might. Wufei threw his shoulders into helping Heero, and Duo and Quatre both joined with Trowa before finally, they could let the doors clatter open onto the floor.  
Duo peered down into darkness. "So... how far down is this lab, again?"

"Unspecified."

Duo grinned, catching the glint of something in the darkness. Hmm... He wondered how badly he could mess with Heero. "Okay then. Only one way to find out, then," he said simply. With a manic grin, he jumped.  
"Geronimoooooo~!" he cried.  
"DUO!" Four horrified voices called out after him. Heero's hands were out, clutching at empty air.  
From somewhere just below them, a voice cackled. "Oh, boy! You should have  
seen your faces just now!"  
"DUO!" Quatre demanded in that 'I am not pleased, but I will not yell'  
kind of voice.  
"Relax. Just jump already. The floor is only like three or four meters down. Easy as pie." A light switched on. The four pilots saw their comrade below them. "There was stairs, I think, at one point. And there's a door down here. A vertical door. I think the actual lab is just beyond it. What are you four waiting for? Come on."  
Trowa shrugged and leaped down gracefully... Wufei two beats behind him. Heero landed firmly, but lightly, and Trowa steadied Quatre when the blond wobbled a bit on landing.  
All four pulled out flashlights and trained them in the same direction Duo's was pointing. A door two meters tall and a meter wide stood before them.  
"So," Duo chirped. "Let's see what's behind Door Number One, shall we?"

Duo walked up to the door and pushed it open. Slowly and loudly the door began to open. After a few seconds Duo had managed to get the squeaky metal door open. Duo wiped his brow. Even if the door was easier to open than the last one it was still tough. Whatever was in there hadn't been seen in a while.

"Are all the doors in this place squeaky?" Asked Quatre as he uncovered his ears. The squeaking noise caused by the door sent shivers down his spine and gave his goose bumps. Quatre rubbed his arms in attempts to smooth out the bumps.

All the boys gazed into the room to see what chaotic inventions their crazy mentors had created. Long rows of test tubes lined the tables that seemed to reach the other end of the room. The large screen computer which was obviously their main computer used during their time here. The smell of different (mostly rotten) substances that littered the place. Broken beakers scattered across the floor. A coat rack with white lab coats hung close to the door. And at the back of the room, a strange looking machine that none of them knew anything about. The boys slowly and carefully walked around the large lab searching for something important.

Heero immediately went over to the computer searching for what was on it. Hacking into the main frame and getting access to everything was easy. Doing it without leaving a trace was another story. Heero found it odd to what he found on the computer. Plans to something; something he had never heard of before. Heero frowned as he read the screen. What on Earth is xx-015? It must be some kind of experiment Heero thought.

Quatre and Trowa searched around by the broken beakers and chemicals that spread upon the tables. All pretty different colours in side tubes surrounding sheets of paper that seemed to have scientific meaning that neither of them could understand. Trowa looked at one of the sheets and picked it up. Trowa read over the sheet not understanding what any of it meant. Something about DNA, blood type, genetic engineering; that was all he could figure out from the pile of words. Quatre walked up to Trowa and wrapped his arms around his lover.

"What's that?" He asked curiously. Trowa held up the sheet so Quatre could see it. Quatre scanned the sheet and frowned. He looked up at Trowa.

"Something to do with genetic engineering." Trowa stated.

"Some of this sounds like Test Tube Baby stuff."

Trowa didn't miss the hint of sadness in Quatre's voice. Quatre sometimes hated the fact that he was a test tube but also lived life to the full... Well at least when he could.

* * *

Eventually, Duo reached the odd machine at the other end of the long room.  
Hmm, he thought, going over it. It looked for all the world like some overgrown computer integrated with some kind of chemistry set. Beakers and vials and tubes and hoses all over the place, all hooked into a main CPU. "XX-015," Duo muttered, reading off the wording etched into the CPU's frame.  
"Don't touch anything," Wufei warned him.  
"Yah, yah," Duo returned flippantly. "Anyway, even if I did, this thing is so old; it probably doesn't work anymore anyway. Besides... what harm could it do?"  
"It sounds like genetic engineering," Trowa called out.  
"Genetic resequencing, to be precise," Heero replied, never looking away from the computer screen. "Dr. J was very big into genetic resequencing to make people stronger... to make better soldiers." To anyone else, his voice never faltered. But to his four closest friends... they could detect an odd inflection on that last sentence. They all knew without being told that Heero had been one of J's 'experiments' once upon a time. "I would like to know what this experiment is, though. I have never heard of anything like this. I think that whatever they were working on backfired. Had an unintended result. Messing with Genetics has to be precise. One mistake and everything is thrown out of order."  
"Well... Was that experiment xx-015?" Duo asked, turning back around to the computer like machine.  
"Affirmative."

"Then... Let's just turn this on and see what it does." With that... and ignoring Wufei's warning... he plugged the machine into the wall- and then flipped the power switch.  
"MAXWELL!" Oops, Duo thought. Wufei did NOT sound happy.  
The machine hummed to life, the screen flickering for a few moments with unreadable programming. Then, it started to run. Vials started to drip into one another, tubes and hoses filled and humming filled the air. Duo took a quick moment and rifled through the computer. "See? Nothing to worry about. It seems whatever this machine does; it does by an air born agent and radiation exposure. Both of which are contained in a sealed box. No problems."  
"Um... Duo..." Quatre asked nervously, coming closer.  
"Yeah, Cat?"  
"*That* sealed box?" Quatre asked... pointing to a glass and metal box about twenty inches by twenty inches sitting to the side of the machine and hooked to it by several hoses and tubes. And the glass panel across the front was shattered, a spider's web of white cracks snaking their way across the clear glass panel.  
Whatever chemicals or radiation would be going into that box... probably wouldn't be staying in that box.  
"Oh... Shit..." Duo muttered.  
Quatre snapped his eyes shut and slapped his hands over his face as he saw more cracks in the glass forming, the spider's web growing larger. Quatre couldn't look; couldn't watch what was about to happen. Quatre listened to Wufei and Heero cursing at Duo from his right. Even now the only sound that erupted from Trowa was a gasp as the glass finally stressed enough, giving into the pressure behind it and shattering everywhere.  
"HIT THE DECK!" Duo yelled.

Trowa protectively threw his arms around the now blind Quatre and pulled him to the floor. A loud high pitched squeak erupted from the machine, like a steam engine blowing the whistle. The sound of glass shattering to the floor flooded through their ears as a horrible smelling gasp attacked their senses. Trowa felt the erg to show everyone what he had eaten in the last 24 hours. Trowa gripped tighter to Quatre as the noise flooded through his ears. His ears were already sensitive to sounds after the war. He didn't need this making it worse.

Duo wanted to scream in horror. Being the closest to the machine if it still worked then he would be hit by whatever it was doing first. What if what was happening in that machine- that gas that had been released- what if it was poisonous? What if the radiation affected him? Duo's heart was now beating so fast it would have put Epyon to shame. Duo couldn't watch. His eyes shut as if he had found himself in space with no suit and he was trying to keep himself alive.

Heero and Wufei slammed to the floor. The machine was going berserk, and sounding like a banshee. It was annoying and irritating. In their minds they both cursed Duo at his idiotic curiosity to touch everything. If that xx-015 didn't kill them or damage their bodies, Heero and Wufei would most certainly kill Duo. But this thing... this machine! What if it had the power to be used on the colony? What where they going to do? They had to stop that thing and fast.

"DUO!" Wufei yelled. "Shut the damn thing off!"

Duo took a peek at the machine before rushing over and pulling the plug on the machine. The machine powered down but the gas and radiation had gotten to all of them. Duo quickly turned to see them all on the floor. Before his body gave way and his vision blacked out...

* * *

Quatre blinked his eyes slowly as he finally became aware again. In the darkness of the lab, he couldn't tell much. Trowa was still draped over his back... still unconscious. Odd... but it didn't feel quite like Trowa. What had that gas and radiation done? Had it merely knocked them out? He could feel Trowa's even, steady breathing behind him. Had the gas and radiation been contained in the lab? Or had it gotten out, affecting the colonists, too?  
He groaned. He itched all over. Inside and out, oddly. They really should check to see if they were too contaminated, then gather up the research and head back home. Who knew what kind of damage that radiation had caused them?  
"Trowa," he muttered. "Trowa, move. I need to breath."  
Trowa grunted, but didn't move. Quatre sighed, and elbowed him, trying to get him to roll off. He did, and an aching Quatre sat up, feeling as if Sandrock had did a jig on him while he was sleeping.

A few feet away, Wufei cursed softly as he woke up. If he wasn't maimed or dead... he was going to KILL DUO MAXWELL. Then find some way to revive him, so that he could kill him again. Curiosity killed the cat, as the saying went. And if curiosity hadn't killed Duo Maxwell yet... then Chang Wufei was certainly going to do the job!  
He groaned as he sat up, feeling aches all across his body and a vague itching sensation along his skin. Before he could actually move anymore, he reached over and shoved Heero's shoulder. The pilot jerked awake in a blink, setting up so fast Wufei was sure it had to give him a headache. Sapphire eyes blinked open in a rush, hand automatically moving to grab Wufei's in self defence. Only quick thinking kept Heero from following through. Instead... he sat staring at Wufei. Cautiously, he reached up and rubbed his eyes.  
Wufei blinked. What an odd thing for Yuy to be doing. Then, they both looked to where Trowa rolled over, and a tousle-haired Quatre sat up. Wufei blinked again. Okay... there was something subtly different about the blonde, Wufei decided. His fair skin was glowing a little more, his already large eyes were larger- the lashes a bit darker, longer. Wufei had to think he looked more like a girl now than he did before. He looked around... and finally saw his own reflection in the faint reflection from the large computer screen.  
His hair had fallen loose from his pony-tail... and like Quatre; his own facial features seemed a bit softer and more feminine. And... His dark blue tank-top did NOTHING to hide the small breasts on his chest.  
Wait... WHAT! Wufei looked down... and fought the urge to scream.  
Yes... he was ALL girl!  
"NOOOO!" he cried. "Yuy, please tell me I'm dreaming! That I'm still unconscious!  
The sharp "k'so" that met his ears... it proclaimed that he was not dreaming. That this was real... and that he was a girl.

Quatre blinked as he heard Wufei's pleadings to Heero, then his swearing. Quatre didn't understand since Wufei now had his back to him and he couldn't see Heero. Quatre noticed Wufei's hair was out of the tight ponytail it was usually in. Quatre raked a hand through his. Quatre felt his hair feel slightly longer than usual. Quatre blinked and then frowned. Quatre once again raked his hand through his hair and attempted to see if he could see it without a reflection. Quatre gave a small whimper which reminded him of a puppy that just got stood on. Quatre blinked once more speechless of his hairs length. He knew he had to get it cut, but before they passed out it couldn't have been that long. Quatre turned to his lover now lying on his back. His eyes widened as he took in his Trowa's appearance.

Trowa's face was still covered by his long caramel shaded hair however the back was longer. Gorgeous long silk like hair cascaded around the tall youth. His face looked softer, his usual sharp features where gone and replaced with a delicate yet mysterious beauty. Trowa's body was much slimmer than usual. His tight jeans did nothing to hide the curviness of his hips. Quatre looked at Trowa's chest now seeing not the smooth muscular chest that he loved to sleep on but fairly large breasts. Quatre's jaw dropped as he looked at his sexy lover to see the drop dead sexy woman. Quatre had never really been attracted to girls, but FUCK! Trowa was a hot girl. Quatre felt as if he was going to faint.

"Trowa... Trowa!" Quatre repeated the boys name but still he wouldn't wake up. Quatre sighed and crossed his arms. Then an idea struck him. "TROWA HELP!" Quatre acted as if he needed help. Trowa shot up straight away pulling out the gun tucked in the back of his jeans. Trowa blinked a few times and looked at the girl who sat beside him. Her smile and her eyes looked so much like Quatre's. The girl gave a small distressed giggle. "About time..."

Duo slowly came too rubbing his sore head as his body began to itch. Duo looked down in his dizzy state and saw the breasts that lay on his chest. Duo pulled at his shirt and looked down at them. "Oh," escaped his lips as he then looked to a large piece of glass which held his refection. Duo blinked a few time, "huh?" Duo blinked. "ARGH-!" Duo yelled as he jumped to his feet and saw everyone. "Everyone! W-What should I do?" He yelled franticly almost acting like a headless chicken. "M-my body! A...a woman!"

"Way to state the obvious, baka," Heero grunted. Duo looked over at the former Wing pilot... then did a double take. O...kay... that was weird. So it wasn't just him, then. Funny that Heero's glare lost none of its effectiveness, despite the large eyes, the wavy chocolate hair that cascaded down to just past his shoulders. His angular features were still sharp, but somewhat different. More elegant. He too had breasts. Duo wouldn't call them big, but... well; Duo was no expert on bra size. And even though they were half hanging out of the green tank top that looked now to be a few sizes too big, Heero still looked beautiful... but deadly.  
"Wow, 'Ro..." Duo breathed. "You make one hot chick."  
Another Prussian blue glare levelled at him.  
"And you will make one nice cadaver," Wufei retorted, standing up on somewhat wobbly legs. It was harder to balance with his weight all out of proportion like this. He lunged at Duo, who screeched and tumbled quickly out of the way.  
"I DIDN'T MEAN TO!" The braided teen screeched. Wufei glowered even more. That was so *unfair*. Duo moved with a natural grace and agility, even with his body completely different from what it was. Argh. And Wufei was the one with all the martial arts training! He should be able to adapt like that, too!  
"STOP!"  
Duo skidded to a stop, Wufei almost toppling into him. All four boys looked to Quatre, standing with his hands on his rather wider hips. His hair was longer, somewhat past shoulder length, straight but curling faintly at the ends. His salmon shirt draped elegantly over his thin frame, masking the new bust he sported, and the khaki pants settled low on his hips, too large for his now even more slender frame. All in all... he perfectly fit the image of an irate woman. 'Must be the sisters,' Duo thought.  
"We need to figure out if we are still contaminated, figure out if that stuff got out of this room... then we need to contact HQ. Une should be informed, and Sally and Noin will possibly be the best help at the moment.  
"That crazy onna is not coming anywhere near me!" Wufei stated. It was no secret that the pig-tailed doctor enjoyed tormenting the Chinese man on a regular basis.  
At last... it was Duo's turn to smile. Unable to stop himself... he said the first thing that popped into his mind.  
"But, 'Fei, baby... *you* are the onna, now!"

"Duo please refrain from pissing off Wufei, because right now I don't think any of us have a body bag!" Quatre stated with his own unique glare that didn't hurt anyone but did show he was serious. Quatre then scanned the room at everyone in it... WOW, he thought, everyone is much cuter than I thought. "We've got more problems than just being turned into girls and seeing if this invention is contained! We have to figure out how we're going to get off this colony!"

"Why's that Q?" Duo asked taking another step so Wufei wouldn't pounce on him like a wild mountain lion. Quatre sighed and turned to Duo.

"Because our pass ports say we're male. And on top of that think about everyone who knows us!" Quatre stated folding his arms over his chest, which in turn pushed his breasts up making them look slightly bigger. "You guys can't go back to your apartments. Not like that anyway. People are going to be suspicious if they see you guys going in there and no sign of the male you." Quatre sighed.

"The only one who could do that would be Duo." Trowa commented trying to get use to his new body. He stood up and folded his arm leaning against a table. Chuckles where heard around the room. Quatre did a fake cough to cover the fact that he found it funny.

Duo tried to use the Heero glare on Trowa but it didn't work. "I resent that Tro." Duo then folded his arms and looked away doing the puppy dog pout.

"Wow." Heero said without convincing. "He can actually pull off Quatre's puppy dog pout."

Duo stuck his tongue out to Heero and then turned back to Quatre and Trowa. Heero and Wufei started to walk unsteadily over to them. "From now on what are we gonna do?" Duo asked staying away from the machine.

"I'll see if I can get in contact with Une." Trowa said pulling out a communicator.

"Let's wait and see if Trowa can get through." Heero spoke in his cold voice folding his arms. Surprisingly his voice had lost most of its coldness with the genetic reconstruction.

"As long as we complete this mission it shouldn't matter." Wufei said in a pompous windbag sort of way.

Guess I'm the #1 moralist around here, Duo thought as he walked over to Quatre now sitting on a desk; swinging his... her legs like a young girl. Quatre wasn't paying attention to anyone but Trowa trying to get through.

"What you thinking Q?" Duo asked jumping up on the desk next to Quatre. Quatre turned to Duo with a look of confusion.

"Just noticing how everyone's voice has gone about five semi tones higher." Quatre said and then turned back to Trowa who was now putting the communicator back in his pocket. "And..." Quatre blushed. "How Trowa looks very elegant and smart as a woman."

Duo gave a glare at the back of Quatre's head. Figures that at a time like this he... she'd still be thinking about banging Trowa, thought Duo. Duo then blinked and thought about something. Duo leaned in to Quatre and whispered in his ear.

"Hey Quatre, do you still have a dick?"


	2. Chapter 2

Quatre's face turned about five different shades of red, the normally eloquent speech turning into sputters and stutters.  
"DUO!" Quatre hissed.  
Duo just laughed. Duo *knew* the answer to the question. He knew that *he* most certainly did not, so he figured no-one else did either. But it was fun to rile Quatre up. He always looked so darn cute when he was blushing. Even more so as a girl.  
Everyone watched as Trowa conferred with Heero, and the two began typing away at the main computer. Obviously getting through to Une on the communicator had not worked, so it looked like they were trying a different approach.  
"Whatcha doin'?" Duo asked, swinging down so he could fold his arms on Heero's shoulders and look over his head.  
"Hacking the Preventer's communication grid," was the simple reply.  
"We'll see if we can't get Sally's office vid on here. Everything else is on a different system, but thankfully we can use Sally's, still have a secure line, and not compromise the entire system of communication.  
About two minutes later, there was a beep and Sally's face popped up on the computer screen.  
"Okay who the hell are you and why are you hacking into the Preventer's mainfra..."  
"HIYA SAL!" Duo chirruped.  
"Do I know you?" She asked.  
"This is going to sound unbelievable; Sally, but you must believe it. I'm Quatre," the blond said stepping into view.  
Sally's face crinkled as she observed and thought.  
"You're right. I don't believe you," she said. "In case you didn't know, Quatre Winner is a *male*."  
"Trust me, onna, we know!" Wufei snapped, drawing attention to himself.  
"And you're supposed to be Chang, right? What kind of poorly thought out hoax was this?"  
"Sal... just ask us something only the real Gundam Pilots would know. How can we prove this is us?"  
"Okay, then. Chang," she said, "What kind of panties do I wear?"  
"And how would he know that?" Duo muttered under his breath.  
Wufei blushed. "Ah... Um. Pink ones. With little hearts on them." He choked on the words. "Lace... black bows on the hips. Th... Thong..." he gulped.  
Duo blinked at him. Sally's mouth fell open.  
"OKAY! WHO THE HELL ARE YOU AND HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT!"  
"Yeah, man... how exactly do you know that?"  
"It was during the war. I was trying to wash clothes, and somehow her underwear got mixed in with my clothes," Wufei defended.  
"And he about had a conniption over it, too," Sally laughed. "I mean... is that really you, Wufei? I mean... you look... different."  
"Do not laugh," he spat. "We need your help. Maxwell set off one of the experiments in the lab we've been sent to infiltrate and destroy. *THIS* is the result."  
"We need to secure the area and check for contaminates," Quatre continued, "Then we will need Preventer's to come get us... and a safe house set up. We obviously can't waltz back into our old homes like this."  
"Right," Sally snickered. "Y'know... you do look kinda cute as a girl. And we'll need to get you new clothes, too. Heero... your boobs are... um... hanging out."  
Heero methodically shifted his tank again, and glared at the screen.  
"Contact my sister Ilyana. She should be able to recommend a house with several of my sister's clothes. It should be easy to find stuff that fits."  
"Right," Sally replied. "Anyone mind if I bring Noin in on this, too?"  
"Go ahead," Quatre said. "Oh, and please inform Une."  
The pig-tailed doctor snickered. "Oh, boy... Une's going to find this soooooooo funny!"

All the boys whined as the screen turned off. Sally was probably going to tell everyone, which meant that Zechs would find out sooner or later. All the boys prayed he did not because they would certainly be in for a mouth full. Even if it had been a while since they had seen him, he was no doubt going to turn up acting like a parent just like Sally and Noin had turned out to be.

Quatre and Duo sat back on the desk opposite the computer, while Heero and Trowa continued to type. Wufei sat cross legged on the floor and had started to meditate. All they could right now was sit and wait for help to come. Duo sighed and shoved his hands in to his pockets finding a deck of cards in there. He pulled it out and showed them to Quatre. He must have forgotten to take them out as they left the shuttle earlier that day. Duo wanted to have another laugh out of Quatre.

"Hey Quatre? Fancy playing Strip Poker?" Duo Joked.

"DUO!" Came a three part harmony of a soprano and two altos. Duo turned to see Quatre blushing even more than earlier. Trowa didn't look much different but looked like he was going to kill Duo for suggesting such a thing to his boy-girl friend. And Wufei looked utterly disgusted that Duo would take this time to suggest such a thing. Duo leaned back away as Trowa looked like he was going to pounce like the lion at the circus did.

"I was joking." Duo said uneasily.

Heero who hadn't even glanced away from the computed unlike Trowa continued to type. "Duo, refrain from giving Trowa a reason to kill you. And then have me arrest him for killing a Preventer Agent." Heero stated as Trowa turned back to help Heero.

"Okay fine... Quatre play Go Fish then?" Duo asked. Quatre nodded as Duo dealt the cards to himself and Quatre. After a few games – each one Quatre won – Trowa joined in while Heero continued to hack into the colony's main frame computer.

"Got any K's?" Duo asked Quatre.

"Go fish," said Quatre before turning to Heero and Wufei on the other side of the room. "So what are we going to do about our names? We can't exactly go around with the names we have now? Any 3's?"

Trowa shock his head forcing Quatre to pick up a card from the deck in which the three boys circled. Quatre looked back at Heero and saw the girl was now facing them instead of typing away at the computer.

Heero folded his arm and leaned on the computer. "We're probably going to have to know each other in some form of way in case someone comes looking for us so we can say something."

"Well Quatre can be easy..." Said Duo as he handed a card over to Trowa and then placed his pile of cards on his lap with his hand on top of them. "He can easily pretend to be one of his sisters... I mean come on, who actually knows the name of every sister Quatre has?"  
Quatre sent Duo a withering stare. "I do."  
Duo laughed. "Do not."  
"I do so. Want me to prove it? Iria, Ilyana, Yasmin, Ariana, Thayet, Mirina, Aisha, Faridah, Kamilah..."  
"ENOUGH!" Trowa interrupted him. "I know that you know all your sisters' names. Isn't that enough?"  
"Of course, Habib," Quatre said, eyes alighting on his beloved.  
"Back to the matter at hand," Heero asked. "I was saying. We all need cover identities, in case someone wants to dig around. If we can come up with our IDs now, I can probably hack and create them using this computer system before Sally gets here. I've discerned that the radiation and gasses have dissipated and are non-harmful now. It was contained to the lab, so everything should be good."  
Quatre shrugged. "I have no problem playing one of my sisters. Duo actually is kind of right... very few people can keep track of all my family. Just... call me 'CAT' or something."  
"Aw... Catrina Winner! It's an adorable name!" Duo cooed.  
Heero 'hn'd at him. Only Quatre caught the tell-tale glimmer in those Prussian eyes. "Duo... I don't need to create an ID for you. We'll just use Danielle Gracin again."  
Duo's face paled. "NO! You are SOOOOO not going to hang that over me again, Heero Yuy!"  
Across the room on the floor, one of Wufei's eyes blinked open. "Danielle? Again? Please, you... pray tell?"  
Heero wisely suppressed the smirk as he looked at Duo. "One of our missions during the first war. Duo had to infiltrate an all-girl academy."  
"It was horrific!" Duo groaned. "I never want to have to do that again!"  
Wufei smirked. "Now *that* is justice," he muttered to himself.

Duo stuck his tongue out at Wufei. "Well come on the 'Fei... What is your cover?"

Wufei just glared back at the braided girl. "Well I might as well be my sister Lian then. It's simple and there will be no need for an ID check." Wufei explained. Wufei turned to Trowa and Heero. "So that leaves you two."

Heero pondered for a while. "There a Japanese girl in the Preventers who looks a lot like I do now," Heero explained. "I'll go under cover as her."

"But what if we meet her during some point?" Duo said. Obviously there was a reason Heero was talking about this girl because he knew something they didn't.

"Kimi Yomot is on an undercover mission on earth. And besides she'd petrified of shuttle rides, so it's highly unlikely she'll be on the colonies." Heero explained before everyone turned to Trowa.

Trowa suppressed a blush at now being centre of attention in the group. Quatre could sense that Trowa was embarrassed and started to think of names that could help him make a cover.

"What about Alex, Brina or something like those names?" Asked Quatre thinking off the top of his head.

"I think Tania, would suite Trowa." Duo stated leaning backwards on the desk. This was getting on everyone's nerve. Trowa had to be the indecisive one.

"Tania," Quatre rolled the name around on his tongue. Then the light bulb flashed in his mind. "Oh, my youngest sister Kamilah went to school with a girl name Tania Fairbanks. I thought that was a lovely name. Tania died in a shuttle accident less than a year ago, so there shouldn't be much to do to create her identity."  
Heero raised an eyebrow at Trowa. Trowa merely nodded. Duo smiled.  
"So... that means I'm Danielle, blondie is Catrina- Cat for short, haha! Blue eyes is Kimi, the black haired 'onna' is Lian... and tall and bendy is Tania! Alright then! Now we just need to figure out how the hell we all know each other... and why we're all at Cat's sister's house in the first place."  
Duo grinned, and everyone groaned. Trust Duo to be enjoying this predicament as if it was a walk in the park.

"I'm just visiting my sister," Quatre piped in. "You all are friends from school. It' simple, and it explains a lot. Heero, just tweak the IDs to say we all went to school together, in case anyone looks."  
"Ryoukai," Heero muttered, standing up to go back to the computer.  
"Um... 'Ro?" Duo asked nervously... trying not to snicker.  
"Hn?"  
Duo stood up and shrugged out of his jacket, leaving him in his T-shirt. He silently handed the jacket to Heero. "Um... y'may wanna wear that. That tank top of yours is NOT doing a very good job keeping the... um... puppies... inside."  
Quatre blushed, Trowa snickered, and Wufei wisely closed his eyes again, entire body shaking in restrained laughter.  
"Hn." Heero glared at the blushing Duo, but took the jacket and shrugged into it before moving to the computer. Everyone watched in silence as the 'perfect soldier' flew through various systems, creating their aliases and alibis.  
A mere fifteen minutes later, another 'Hn' echoed in the lab as he finished.  
Quatre and Duo and Trowa looked up from their card game... WAR this time.  
"Mission Accomplished, then?" Duo asked. Hm, he thought. Heero... even as a girl... looked pretty good in his leather jacket. But he shoved that thought away. Thinking things like that was liable to get him killed by one irate perfect soldier.

* * *

After another hour or so the boys started to hear a noise coming from the door in which they entered. Duo packed up the deck of cards after being massacred by Trowa and Quatre. All the girls stood waiting for the people to come in. The sound of metal hitting against metal and footsteps on the ground rang in their ears.

"QUATRE! DUO!" Yelled a voice. It sounded like Noin. The door suddenly opened and there stood Noin and Sally. Both women walked into the room. Sally smiled as she walked closer to the boys. Noin however had wide eyes in disbelief in what she was seeing.

"You all became cute," Noin stated as she smiled softly at the boys. She couldn't help but give a small giggle. Both women walked up to the young boys and looked over them. The women had now gained a height advantage over the boys, including Trowa. Noin and Sally gave the girls jackets so they could cover their bodies.

Noin walked up to Heero to pass him a jacket when she saw Duo's jacket on him. "Give you one tip. Don't wear a tank top without a bra, boys."

Heero crossed his arms and looked away from Noin. "Unfortunately I don't have one." Heero stated.

"If you had one, you'd be a pervert." Trowa said under his breath.

Quatre sighed as he slipped the jacket on and zipped it up. "I hope we can get back to normal soon. Staying this way when you're an heir is a problem." Quatre sighed.

"Our body's lack of strength and endurance is disgraceful! I hate this plushy body!" Wufei complained having a right go at the female body.

"Shut up." Noin snapped. She sighed and walked back over to Sally. "Don't be so emotional, woman."

Wufei's eyes went wide and then his head fell in shame. Duo gave a soft giggle and Quatre tried not to show he was laughing.

"Nothing's going to happen by squabbling about." Trowa stated walking up to Quatre. "Guess it won't hurt to leave the mission for now."

Duo then turned to Sally. "By the way... What was Une's reaction?"

Sally and Noin both burst out into giggles at that.  
Five sets of eyes glared at the two women.  
"She... she didn't believe us!" Sally gasped out. "She still thinks this is some kind of prank by 02."  
"We told her the exact truth," Noin added. "And she still seems to think that this is all a joke and that you've all just stumbled on some minor setback."  
"Setback, yes. Minor, no." Wufei growled, glaring at his curvy body.  
Duo smirked, and the others glared at him. "What?" he asked in all innocence.  
"Just WHY exactly would Une think this is a joke... by you? Exactly what HAVE you done to that lady in the past?" Trowa asked.  
"Neh," Duo smiled. "I had to get my kicks some way during the war. What better way than picking on Old Lady Une? Oh, gods, you should have seen that one time when I put the 'song that never ends' over OZ's outside communications. I stuck it on repeat and they couldn't contact each other for like seven hours!"  
Duo doubled over laughing while Noin gaped at him. "THAT WAS YOU!"  
"Ah," Quatre muttered. "That's why she's never liked you much."  
Heero stared Duo down, and then picked up a laptop that he had downloaded the systems information into. "Can we go already?"  
"Just a sec," Noin stated. "What about how we're getting you off L1 and to the safe-house on L4?"  
"Done and taken care of," Heero replied. "We just need hardcopies of the IDs, but they are all set up."  
Sally nodded... really; she'd expected nothing less from the former Wing pilot. And suddenly she had a thought? "What are your names?"  
"Catrina Winner, at your service," Quatre replied, sinking into a small curtsy. Duo blinked at that. Just how the hell did Quatre know how to curtsy? Never mind... he didn't really want to know.  
"Chang Lian," Wufei stated.  
"Tania Fairbanks," Trowa shrugged.  
"Kimi Yomot," Heero said. He got two raised eyebrows at that, but Sally nodded.

"Yeah... you kind of look like her, and she's in Rio, right? On that drug busting case?" He nodded.  
Noin looked to Duo. "And you? What should we call you? Diane?" she snickered.  
Duo glared at her. "My name is Danielle Gracin," he sniffed, tossing his braid over his shoulder and looking for the entire world like a miffed female. "And don't you forget it."  
Noin laughed. "Very well, then, ladies..." she bowed towards the door."After you."

All the Gundam girls glared at the two women standing there. However the continued on their way up the way they came. Far outside of the building where they parked their car they saw another. Heero went to get in the front of their car. However someone held the jacket he was wearing, pulling Heero away from the car.

"No way," came Sally's voice. "Who knows how much your body's have changed! You can't go driving just in case." She then let go of Heero and he turned around to face her. "Look simplest way will be for you boys to spilt up. That way you can get some rest and we can get the ID's done."

"Hn," was Heero's reply. So it worked out that Sally would go in her car with Quatre and Trowa while Noin goes in the other car with Duo, Heero and Wufei.

It would take half an hour to get to the shuttle port and to get their ID's. Sally looked in her mirror to see Quatre had fallen asleep on Trowa. Trowa was gently rubbing Quatre's arm soothing the young girl so she didn't get a nightmare. Sally had noticed since the war Quatre was the one who hated to be alone the most. Figures, she thought. Out of all the boys Quatre must have been the closest to all of them. And without their thoughts running around in his head it must have felt lonely. Sally then looked at Trowa who looked lovingly at Quatre. Sally had never seen Trowa like that with anyone but Quatre. It was sweet to think that they were probably going to be with each other for the rest of their lives. But how much of a strain would this be on their relationship? It was no secret that Quatre and Trowa had sex, or that they went out in public and on dates. Was it going to be difficult now that they had been turned into girls? Trowa then leaned down and kissed Quatre's forehead. Sally smiled once again. She doubted that this would be very difficult for them. Not now, not ever.

* * *

Noin drove the car with Wufei in the passenger seat. Luckily he was quiet... For now. Duo had fallen asleep in the back against the window and Heero was being Heero. Tinkering away at his laptop no matter what. Was there anything that didn't get in his way? Sometimes Noin wondered if the boy was a robot of a super advanced computer sometimes. Wonder how Zechs will react, she thought. Noin shook her head. No, there's no need for him to find out, she thought. He can find out on his own... Noin watched Wufei from the corner of her eye as he just stared blankly out of the window. Wonder how he'd act if he found out what happened to Wufei?

Noin looked at Heero and then at Duo. The back was a three seated, however Duo and Heero were sitting pretty close together. Wonder how close those to really are, she wondered as she carried on driving.

* * *

"We're there," Sally whispered back to Trowa. Trowa nodded. Sally got out and opened the car door for him, and Trowa... as he always did if Quatre was asleep and the other was loath to wake him up... went to pick his lover up.  
Sally giggled at Trowa plight. Apparently, even though Quatre was significantly smaller now... Trowa was also significantly weaker now. No way was Trowa picking his lover up without waking him.  
Trowa glared at her, and then leaned down to kiss his blonde beauty softly.  
"Quatre," he whispered. "Time to wake up..."  
"Hmmm," the girl mumbled, aqua eyes blinking open. "Tr'wa?" Quatre muttered.  
"We're at the shuttle, love. You need to wake up for just a little bit, then you can go back to sleep, okay?"  
"Mm kay," Quatre mumbled. "I'm awake now."  
Sally giggled at the sight of Quatre waking up. Usually, she found the blond pilot to be cute... but that was nothing compared to how he looked now. With the longer hair, and the softer feminine features... he looked just so absolutely ADORABLE.  
Trowa helped Quatre out of the car and they say the other car pull in next to them. Quatre relaxed a lot with the presence of his friends again, and watched quietly as Wufei stoically moved out of the vehicle, and stared at the scene in the back seat.  
Duo had been conked out against the window, and Heero was left with the task of waking him. NOT an easy task, as most of the time Duo could sleep through a hurricane while a Gundam danced the foxtrot on the roof. Apparently Duo didn't want to wake up, either.  
Heero would say something, and shake Duo's arm. Duo would proceed to wave the hand away and snuggle deeper against the door. This went on for some five minutes or so, to the point where Sally and Noin were trying hard not to laugh as Heero got more and more annoyed and Duo snuggled further and further away.  
"Zhou ma," Wufei cursed, then stalked forward and yanked the car door open. Duo, who hadn't been wearing a seat-belt... the naughty boy... fell into an unceremonious heap on the ground with a loud curse and shot instantly awake. Heero... in the process of shaking Duo again, followed, slipping down and narrowly missing smacking his head against the seat. Both girls glared at a smirking Wufei, who shrugged innocently.  
"We didn't have time to wait," he replied.  
Sally finally controlled her laughing, and nodded towards the port. "I have a contact of mine waiting by the entrance to hand off our IDs. From there we can go straight through security and to Dock 194. It's a private Winner shuttle. We can thank Ilyana for that. It will take us right to one of the Winner mansions on L4."  
Everyone nodded and took off for the door... following Noin and Sally. Noin made a mental reminder to ask Sally if she'd ever noticed anything between Heero and Duo. Oh... and to see what the other woman thought about making mischief between a certain Chinese... girl... and a certain blonde ex-prince.

* * *

Once their ID's were given the group of girls headed on to their private shuttle for their short flight to L4. There was plenty of room in the shuttle for everyone to get some sleep and not be disturbed by each other. Sally and Noin sat at the back talking to each other. Wufei had seemed to have gone into a state of meditation; either that or he was quick to sleep on a shuttle. Quatre and Trowa sat in front of him with Duo in front of them talking about random stuff. Quatre was smiling away but there was no doubt the little blonde was going to fall asleep on Trowa again very soon. Trowa just listened to Duo adding his own thoughts now and again. Heero then sat right at the front of the shuttle on his laptop, doing God knows what.

Noin leaned close to Sally and whispered quietly. "Have you noticed anything between Kimi and Dannielle lately?" Asked Noin using the Gundam pilot's new names to get use to them.

Sally looked at Kimi and Dannielle and saw how separate they were, but how Kimi would give a few glances towards the latter now and again. Sally turned back to Noin and nodded. "You should have seen them a few months ago when they were in the cafeteria in HQ..." Sally shuddered. "Let's just say I have never seen a bigger fight yet I have never seen them flirt so much in my entire life."

Noin gave a small giggle. "I remember Quatre telling me about that. The poor boy was traumatized." She laughed.

* * *

"Hey, Cat, so what is Ilyana like anyway?" Asked Duo getting use to the new names. "I mean surely she's met Tania by here as well?" She winked.

Quatre smiled softly. "Not much to say really. Kind, caring, motherly, loving... Has an amazing fashion sense and has a thing about couples." Quatre commented giving a little frown on the last fact.

"What do you mean?" Duo asked tilting his head to the side like a confused puppy not understanding what's happening.

"She looked at me and knew we were going out." Trowa stated before looking out the window.

Duo's eyes widened slightly at the thought of that. Duo smiled. "Wow, Tania, I bet you actually showed some emotion that day." Duo joked. Trowa just remained silent and looked out the window.

* * *

It would only be another hour till they reached L4. It was now silent on the shuttle. Even the discrete noise of typing on a lap top had stopped. Noin and Sally stood up and went to see what the young boy-girls where going. Wufei was still asleep, which looked more like he was in a state of in animation. Trowa was leaning against the window with his head on the seat and his legs stretched out. Then little Quatre was sleeping on top of Trowa. Quatre's arms rested on Trowa's breasts while Quatre's head used them as a pillow. Trowa had his arms lovingly around the petit girl; both women couldn't help but 'aw' at the sight. They didn't look like lovers at the moment but more like sisters comforting each other after a long hard day and confiding in each other all their secrets. Duo was out stretched on the seat in front of the lovers in a un-lady like manner. However what made Duo look cute was the fact that she was holding her braid as if it was a life line or something. Then Heero was sleeping soundly, leaning back in the chair arms folded pushing his breasts up. Both women returned to their seats and rested after seeing the sleeping angels.

"So you think you could bribe him over here?" Asked Sally with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

Noin nodded and smiled. "If anyone can get our little Prince here it's me." Noin's smirk disappeared. "But what if Miss Relena comes looking for Heero?" Noin sighed. "Not to mention that thing coming after Quatre."

Sally knew exactly who Noin meant and she wouldn't be too pleased if those two did drop in. "I certainly hope not. Or us playing matchmaker is going to be difficult. Plus we got to teach them how to be girls for a while."

* * *

"CAT!"

Quatre groaned as he exited the shuttle, ducking around behind his (still) taller lover.  
"Aww, don't you look so adorable!" The woman gushed. She was somewhere in her late twenties, early thirties maybe, her hair not quite brown but not quite blonde, but a rather ruddy dirty blond that was not quite either or. Her eyes were a deep hazelnut brown, and her skin several shades darker than Quatre's... but from facial structure alone one knew they were related. Sally had already informed the bo-girls... that Ilyana had been made aware of the situation.  
"My, my, my, how you've changed!" She said, following her little brother behind Trowa and just examining him. Poking and prodding him and tugging his hair.  
"Ilyana!" the blond protested, twisting away. Unfortunately for 03... That put Trowa in her line of fire. "Ack! And this must be Tania! Darling, you're beautiful!"  
Trowa was not as kind as Quatre and didn't bear with her prodding, but grabbed her wrists and held her away.  
"Ilyana," he said.

The woman smiled. "It's so *nice* to see you again. I do hope we'll be able to chat later? Perhaps over breakfast?" Which, Trowa and Quatre translated, was a direct order to be there or else. Ilyana then turned her attention to the others getting off. "Doctor Po, Miss Noin. A pleasure to meet you in person. Vincent!" she called to her assistant waiting back by the doors. "Please show Dr. Po and Miss Noin to their rooms. Mischa, darling," A look to a small, black haired maid, "escort my sister's friends to their rooms. I'll show Cat and Tania through. I know it's been a long day for you all, so I think we'll let you all shower and go to bed. You'll be refreshed in the morning. Dr. Po tells me, you didn't have time to pack any clothes, so I'll have Mischa drop some things off for you tonight and tomorrow I'll show you through to The Closet."  
Everyone present heard the capital letters on the name, and Noin had to blink. Okay. Just what kind of lady had they gotten themselves involved with here? True, she was smart and quick... she was laying on the alibi very thickly. With the words of a lady like her, no one would question their alibi. Which, was, of course, Ilyana's sister visiting with her friends from boarding school.. And their two chaperones.  
"Sounds good," Duo said. "Please, lead the way!"

* * *

Ilyana pulled Tania and Cat over to the living room and smiled sickly sweetly at them. Both knew that was trouble when she smiled like that.

"I set you two up with the biggest bed room." She giggled. "I didn't think you'd bring so many couples with you little sister." Quatre found it weird being called sister.

"We're the only couple Ilyana." Cat stated confused at what Ilyana meant.

Ilyana waved it off. "Don't worry." She giggled. "Let's get you two to your room." She then led the lovers up the staircase and to the large bedroom at the far end of the corridor. She turned back to them and pointed at the door. "Now this is your room Cat. You and Tania are sharing, and I only want the naughty stuff happening in this room!" She said with a hint of sarcasm. She then bounced off away from them.

Quatre sighed as he opened the door to see a very pale blue room, with a dark navy blue rough. A large four post bed was to their right and opposite that was another door leading to the bath room. There was a desk between the door and the bathroom with a computer and two chairs at it. Then framing the bed were two mahogany bedside tables. Cat sighed and lowered his head.

"Why do they go full out for me?" He asked in a slightly annoyed voice. Tania placed a hand on Cat and then gently pushed her in to the room and shut the door behind them. Cat turned back to Tania and smiled softly. Cat leaned up on her tiptoes and kissed Tania. "So are you going to take a shower first or am I?"

Tania couldn't resist the puppy dog look that Cat was pulling. "Quatre, seriously?" Tania sighed, defeated by Cat's secret weapon. "You win."

Cat squealed as she dragged Tania in to the bath room.

* * *

Duo jumped up and down on the bed and admiring how comfy it was. She had never felt this soft before; she couldn't wait to sleep tonight. Duo started to un-braid her hair so it cascaded in curls around her. She then jumped off the bed and ran to the bath room. She stopped and looked in the large mirror. "Man, I'm enjoying this way too much."

* * *

Heero flopped down on the bed and sighed as he placed the laptop next to him on the bed. Heero closed his eyes until a knock on the door came. Heero got up and walked to the door and opened it to see the young maid Mischa standing there. She curtsied and handed a pair of green PJ's with puppy dogs on them.  
"Lady Ilyana wanted you to have these." She seemed slightly afraid of Heero. Heero was use to people being afraid of her. Heero took the cloths off her and frowned at them as he shut the door.

I'm not leaving the room in these, he thought.

* * *

Wufei sighed as the water sprayed on her and steam rose, parts of it being absorbed by her skin. She sighed as she washed her body with the coconut body wash that had been left. Today had been eventful and Wufei just wanted to sleep in a comfy bed tonight. Luckily as soon as she was done washing and changed she could do that. But one thing kept coming back into his mind.

They're going to kill us, she thought. No way can we turn in to girls with this space of time.

* * *

Quatre sat sheepishly on the bed as Trowa slipped into the extra large T-shirt that had been found in the dresser, and came to sink in beside her.  
"Do NOT go all 'guilty' on me, Quatre," Trowa said sternly, pulling the girl down beside her... the better to cuddle and spoon up behind her.  
"I did not take certain... factors... into consideration," Quatre replied, face set in an expression of deep thought.  
Trowa chuckled. "We can do research on it tomorrow. For now, let's just sleep."  
"But T..."  
"No buts," Trowa said firmly. "Sleep. Now."  
Quatre gave in... Of course... and with a sigh, drifted off to sleep. Trowa had to fight to stop the laughter that still wanted to bubble up. Who knew that girls were built so much differently than boys? That aspect would certainly take some getting used to, but Trowa had no doubt that they could adapt... with a little research into the subject.  
With that thought firmly in mind, Trowa, too, drifted off into slumber. 

* * *

Heero bolted instantly awake when the bed dipped. Her hand automatically going for the Colt pistol under the pillow.  
"Relax, 'Ro," came an unfamiliar voice. It took Heero's brain a few seconds to process it as Duo's now softer, pretty alto.

"Duo?"

"Move over. Can't sleep."  
Heero heard the unspoken confession of 'nightmare', and shifted over to make room for Duo in the bed. After having been forced to share rooms on and off during the war, then sharing an apartment for the past year or so- with only a single wall between them, the several suites of rooms between them now was kind of a lot. Too much.  
None of the pilots were completely nightmare free, but Duo somehow found Heero presence soothing enough to calm them, and keep them at bay.  
"Thanks," Duo murmured, cuddling up into a little ball. "Oh... and nice PJ's by the way..."


	3. Chapter 3

~*

Wufei awoke to the smell of bacon. Mmmm... Delicious. She swung out of bed and pondered things for a moment. Okay.  
She'd fallen asleep in the nude after her shower last night; she REFUSED to wear the pink monstrosity of a *nightgown* that Mischa had dropped off for him. No Way in Hell. Although he had made a concession and pulled on the serviceable black panties.  
And she really didn't relish the thought of putting yesterday's clothes back on. No. Not at all.  
She spotted the antique oak wardrobe against the far wall and pulled open the doors to it. Darn. TV cabinet. With her face in a grim line, she reclosed the doors and walked to the bedrooms closet.  
Not very much in there. Mostly bed linens. Aha... but there were a few items dangling from hangers. A blue swimsuit... Absolutely not. A pink mini dress...  
NO WAY IN HELL. Aha! Wufei snatched the blue jean shorts and pulled them on. They were rather short for his tastes, and the felt a size or two too small, but it was better than the alternatives. Going back through the closet, he managed to find a plain T-shirt in pale blue. Still... it was much better than the alternatives.  
Suitably attired, she went to pull her hair into her customary ponytail, but realized that she had no band to hold it in place.  
Zhou ma, she cursed mentally, and resigned herself to merely running her fingers through it to put it in some type of order. Figuring it was as good as she could get at the moment, she sighed, opened her door, and prepared herself to face the first day of her life as a woman.

* * *

Trowa turned to look at the clock on the bedside table. 9:30, he sighed. They might as well get up now. Trowa looked down at the blonde girl resting on her chest. Quatre seemed to like sleeping on Trowa's breasts a lot. Trowa leaned down and kissed the blondes head.

"Wake up little one," he whispered soothingly. Quatre groaned and then slowly opened her eyes. She shyly looked up at her girl friend and smiled. She then leaned up and kissed Trowa on the lips. "Morning."

"Morning," she whispered snuggled back down. "You're really comfy."

Trowa gave a soft giggle. "Come on," Trowa said trying to get up but Quatre pulled her back down. "We have to get up, now." Quatre only snuggled close wrapping her arms around Trowa's waist. Trowa sighed as a knock came on the door.

"Tania, Cat! Food's ready."

Both sighed and finally got out of bed. Quatre and Trowa couldn't be bothered to change out of their PJ's right now so they'd do it later after food. They walked out their room and saw Mischa knocking on a door and calling Dannielle. Quatre walked up to her.

"Is something wrong?" Quatre asked.

Mischa curtsied to Quatre. "I cannot seem to wake Miss Dannielle." She then looked at the door once again. Quatre knew that is Duo wasn't in that room then she was obviously with Heero.

"Which room is Kimi in?" Quatre asked softly. Mischa pointed to a door three doors down from theirs. Quatre turned back to Mischa and smiled. "Don't worry Mischa, I'll wake them up." Mischa nodded and curtsied again before heading down stairs to do her job. Quatre turned to Trowa both knew why Duo was with Heero. Nightmare; Quatre wasn't the only one who suffered from them but Duo's weren't as bad as hers. Both walked over to the door and knocked on the door.

"Heero, Duo." Quatre called softly before opening the door. Quatre smiled at what she saw. Duo was curled up into Heero's side with Heero's arm around Duo's small body. Duo's hair was out of the braid and fell in waves behind her.

Trowa noticed Heero start to stir. Heero's eyes opened slowly and turned to see Quatre and Trowa standing in the doorway. Both smiled at Heero.

"Hey it's time to get up, breakfast is ready." Quatre said. Heero nodded and got up. Now here was the difficult part. Getting Duo up; after many attempts at prodding, pulling her off the bed, tickling they all sighed. How the Hell did Heero manage this every day? Quatre then had a brilliant idea. She gave a cheeky little smile and dashed from the room. Trowa and Heero looked at each other wondering what the petit blond was up to. Both gave silent sighs and looked at the long haired girl still sleeping away. After a few minutes Quatre came back with something in her hand. She leaned on the bed and placed the thing on Duo's top lip and then moved back and clutched Trowa's arm. Heero and Trowa both saw a small red pepper there. Both turned to each other and knew this was going to end badly. Duo ate the pepper un-knowingly.

"AHHHH!" Duo screamed as her mouth burnt. Trowa and Heero both jumped back as Duo jumped off the bed and glared at Quatre. Quatre jumped behind Heero and Trowa for protection as Duo ran at her. Quatre then ran around Heero and Trowa and out the door. Duo ran out after her proclaiming how she was going to kill her.

"CAT WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!"

Trowa sighed as Heero looked at him confused.

"How did she know-"

"You don't want to know." And with that said they left the room.

* * *

Wufei sighed. Some things would never change. Taking one step back, he waited until both Cat and *Danielle* had ran through the doorway before continuing to follow them... at a much, much more sedate and leisurely pace. Mischa had told him directions to the dining room, where breakfast would be served.  
"Wufei?" Wufei turned and looked at who'd called his name. Trowa and Heero were staring at him rather ridiculously.  
"What?" he demanded, irate. "Haven't you ever seen a girl in shorts before!"  
At that, Trowa bent over in laughter, the movement making the extra large T-shirt ride up a bit from the girl's knees and exposing a fair expanse of thigh. Even Heero smirked a bit. Wufei's eyebrow raised.  
"Rich, Yuy. Nice Pyjama's by the way."  
Wufei turned and stalked back towards the dining room, leaving Heero glaring and turning red... and Trowa about five seconds away from bursting a gut in laughter. Heero cursed himself for forgetting to change before following after that braided baka and the blond tactician.  
"Good morning, Lian," came Ilyana's voice from the table, where she sat at the head. There were only eight places set, so Wufei figured that besides Noin and Sally, only Ilyana would be joining them.  
"Cat... please sit down. Danielle, isn't it? Please refrain from choking my sister."  
Despite the way it was phrased... as polite... Wufei could detect the hint of threat within the words. Hn. Maybe Ilyana wasn't as ditzy as he first thought.  
Quatre immediately dropped down into the seat to Ilyana's right, with Trowa taking the seat to Quatre's right. Duo sat directly across from Quatre, with a still blushing Heero beside him. Wufei compared his options- the two beside Trowa and the one beside Heero... then opted to take the seat next to Heero.  
Within a few minutes, Mischa lead Sally and Noin into the room. Sally dropped- still half asleep- into the chair next to Trowa, and Noin settled in next to Sally.  
There were platters set on the table, filled with food of all kinds.  
"After breakfast, girls," Ilyana was saying, "I'll show you through to The Closet, and we'll find you some things. I'm sure that with clothes from twenty nine different girls we can find *something* to fit."

All the young girls gulped when they heard that sentence leave the older blonds lips. Noin and Sally couldn't help but laugh at the girls reactions. Heero and Wufei glared at the women before returning to their breakfast. Everyone started to make idle chit chat while they ate. Quatre's eyes widened as she saw how much food Duo was scoffing down. Talk about an endless pit.

"Du-Dannielle, where are your manners!" Quatre exclaimed. Trowa, Heero and Wufei sighed. Something's never change; even as a girl Quatre was still a slight neat freak, full of manners and proper elocution. The girls sometimes wondered how Trowa managed it!

Duo blinked and looked down at the fork in her hand. "Why am I using the wrong fork?" She asked so obliviously. Quatre dropped his head in defeat while Ilyana only giggled in amusement.

"I must admit this is going to be amusing." She giggled before sipping her tea.

Quatre cursed under her breath in Chinese so her sister wouldn't understand her. Trowa caught the curse and knew that Quatre only cursed under the worse situation ever. Obviously her sister had something under her sleeve.

"Mind if we tag along?" Asked Noin with a small grin on her face.

Ilyana smiled sickly sweet. "Of course not. I'm sure you can help them find the perfect cloths!" Ilyana giggled.

* * *

They finished their breakfast and Ilyana practically dragged the girls to a large oak door with gold handles. Ilyana pushed down on the handle and the door swung open. The girl's mouths dropped as they saw the piles upon piles of cloths stacked in the room. Going from ball gowns to jeans with rips in them; ranging from different materials, cotton to silk or satin. Each outfit had about three pairs of shoes lining them. Ilyana walked in and turned around and started to act dramatically.

"Well here we are," she stated. "This is the cloths all my sisters have had. It shouldn't be too difficult to make you girls look pretty, you're all so cute as it is." She smiled as she held out her hand to them. "Don't be shy. We won't take all day. We also have to teach you girls many things before you can have some free time. Hehe."

Sally and Noin nodded at each other before pushing the girls in to the room and shutting the door behind them. Each girl looked like a dear in headlights as they were separated from each other to different corners of the room to see what cloths suited their skin colour, hair, eyes and body. Each woman picked out cloths and tossed them at the girls hoping it would be a fashion wonder not a fashion disaster.

Duo mouthed 'help' before being dragged away to change. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

This was bringing back *bad* memories for Quatre. He remembered a time long ago when Ilyana and other sisters had enjoyed playing 'dress up' with their 'adorable' baby brother. He shuddered as another something or other was tossed onto the head in his arms.  
"Don't forget the undergarments and lingerie, ladies," Ilyana called to Noin and Sally. The two older women shared a smirk with each other before diving into another heap and sorting through the nightgowns, teddies, camisoles, bras, and negligee's.  
"Cat, man!" Duo cried, stumbling into the blond. "Your sister is CRAZY."  
"Tell me about it," Quatre muttered.  
"And we'll have to teach them how to do something with their hair," Noin grinned evilly, wrapping her hand around a long, curly lock of Duo's hair to drag him back away.  
"Agreed," Ilyana nodded, handing Heero a black lace nightgown and cobalt blue silk pj's that consisted of pants and a spaghetti strapped top.  
"Ow, ow, ow!" Duo sang. "Not the hair!" He tried in vain to pull it away from the sadistic agent.  
Sally held up a pink and lime green polka dotted bra. "Hmm, girls. What do you think? Is Wufei a C cup?"  
"Injustice!" Wufei cried as the doctor proceeded to fit him, humming as she did so. Noin stared pointedly at Duo's chest.  
"B," she declared, then turned her attention to Heero. "Hmm. C. Maybe a D. We'll have to try both, I think."  
"B," Ilyana stated as she fit a bra over Quatre's shirt. Suffering silently as Quatre's sister's hands roved over him, fitting him for the bra, Trowa closed his eyes and tried to think of someplace far, far away from L4. Like Neptune maybe.  
"D," the older blond chuckled. "Cat, your girlfriend's got quite the... ample cleavage, no?"  
Quatre and Trowa both blushed beet red at that.  
"Ack! Bikini!" Sally crowed, holding up a blue and white striped string bikini. A weird look crossed her face, as she looked over to Noin in all innocence. "Y'think they'd need to have a bikini wax done?"  
Five boys turned girls paled, and three women laughed. 

* * *

It was several hours later, nearing lunch time, when Ilyana finally decided to call it quits... for the moment, at least. Between her, Sally, and Noin they'd managed to outfit the five teenagers with several changes of clothing, including at least two formal dresses and several more 'casual' options. They'd also found shoes to fit them... although the bigger question remained as to whether they could manage the heels some of those shoes had.  
It was a mutual decision (translation: Ilyana decided and no one bothered to argue) that they'd break for lunch then resume with 'lessons' on how to act like a girl.  
With clothes properly sorted away to each of the teenager's respective rooms, Ilyana stood and inspected the five young ladies in front of her, waiting to be seated at the table. They (translation: Ilyana) had decided that casual clothes would probably be best, saving the formal dresses for diner and company.  
Ilyana smiled. "So far... so good."

* * *

Ilyana sat at the table with Sally and Noin surrounding her. The other girls – now afraid of them – were at the other end cowering away. So far most of them felt like they had brain damage thanks to the women's attempts at completely changing. Trowa and Quatre were still blushing after the little bra issue. Duo and Heero were cowering together as from all the colours they had seen. And Wufei was piping mad at how unjust it was that none of them got a choice in what they wore.

All of the girls remained silent during lunch, praying that the women wouldn't be that brutal again. They had faced the Alliance, Oz, Romefeller, White Fang, the Barton coup and even stared into the face of death yet they were petrified of the women that sat at the other end of the table laughing and joking.

Quatre was actually starting to regret ever asking for Ilyana, maybe he should have asked for one of her other sisters. Well at least they're not all here or it would just be dress up all over again. Luckily no one but his sisters and she knew about that.

"Oh you should have seen Cat when she was little," Ilyana whispered to Noin and giggled. "It was like dress up heaven with her, until father saw us." Noin and Ilyana giggled however Quatre over heard it.

"ILYANA!" Quatre yelled rising up from her chair and slamming her fists down on the table. "That was embarrassing! Stop it." Then Quatre walked out of the room steaming mad. Heero, Wufei, Duo and Trowa looked at each other extremely confused. Trowa looked at the shocked expression on the women's faces before getting up to look for Quatre.

"Okay, what just happened?" Asked Duo to Heero and Wufei as Towa left the room.

* * *

Trowa didn't need to search for Quatre. He knew exactly where she was. Trowa stood by the door to hers and Quatre's room and listened. Deep breathing could be heard. Trowa knocked the door and opened it to see the little blonde sitting on the bed with her knees tucked into her chest. Trowa sighed and shut the door as he walked over to the bed. She then crawled over to the little blonde and wrapped an arm around her. Trowa could see that Quatre wasn't crying, but upset and angry.

"I hate them when they do that." Quatre whispered in an angry tone.

Trowa squeezed Quatre's shoulder. "What did she do?"

Quatre lifted his head and rested his chin on his knees. "Said something that reminded me of father..." Quatre sighed and kept his eyes down. Quatre turned to Trowa. "Please don't tell anyone but when I was younger my sisters use to play dress up." Quatre looked away. "It was so embarrassing and when Father saw he'd flip... I guess all of this reminds me of this."

Trowa held Quatre closer. "You flipped out. Ilyana was scared to death." Trowa stated and placed a kiss on Quatre's head. "You did kind of over react, little one."  
"I know but..."

"But what?"

Quatre shook his head and gave a weak smile. "Never mind. Don't worry about it." Quatre kissed Trowa and the worries seemed to melt away.

* * *

Six females stared at the way the other two had went. Ilyana looked pale and shaken, and Noin and Sally looked bewildered. Very rarely had anyone seen the blond lose his temper in such a way. Duo and Heero could only stare. They knew their friend was troubled, and undoubtedly could be just as violent as they... but it was a side rarely seen.  
Wufei turned a cold onyx glare to Ilyana. "Damn sha zi. You should stop tormenting her like that. Was it not enough for you to turn her childhood into that of a living china doll, but that you have to rub it in to her friends? Are you sadistic? Do you enjoy his pain? His turmoil?"  
Ilyana's pale face blanched even further as Wufei stood up. Even though he was shorter than most of the other pilots... save Quatre... he still had a towering aura of strength. An aura that surrounded him even though his figure was that of a teenage girl. Ilyana had every right to be afraid with a glare as cold as death itself boring into her, pinning her in place.  
"I... I didn't mean it like that," she stuttered out. "You don't... you don't understand."  
"Ta ma de. You're the one who doesn't understand. Cat has more family members than any of the rest of us has ever had... put together! And yet Cat has *less* family than us in some ways."  
Duo nodded. Since the war, Wufei had settled down a lot. Without the need to fight- and after finally having accepted the deaths of his family and his wife, he'd calmed down. His true personality, a scholar with a dry sense of humour and staggering sense of honour, had shone through... and he'd rarely raised his voice in anger.  
But no one could fault him for this outburst.  
He didn't know the real reason behind Quatre's exclamation and running away, but truthfully he didn't care. He could guess, and that was good enough for him. And he didn't like what he guessed.  
Ilyana broke eye contact, bowing her head.  
"I am sorry," she said. "When you are raised in a certain way, things become habit. Habits are hard to break, but I shall try."  
Wufei nodded, sinking back into her chair and nibbling at a corner of his sandwich.  
Suddenly... he wasn't very hungry. Hn.

* * *

"You going to forgive her?" Asked Trowa raking her hand through Quatre's soft silk like hair. Quatre moaned slightly as if waking up from a nice dream.

"I can never stay mad at someone." Trowa smiled and placed a kiss on the blonde's hair.

"So do you think you can go back out there?" Asked Trowa as Quatre rested her head ONCE AGAIN on Trowa's breast.

"I don't know." Quatre thought out loud. She then looked up at Trowa and gave a sweet innocent smile. "I tell you one thing I like about the change."

Trowa looked down at her little angel. "Oh. What's that?" Trowa asked curious.

Quatre giggled sheepishly as a blush creped on her face with a cheeky grin that rivalled Duo's. "You're extremely comfy now." Quatre giggled before hiding her face with her arms.

Trowa smirked slightly and wove her arms around Quatre's curved hips and whispered seductively to the blond. "One thing that I bet hasn't changed is the sweet little ass of yours." Trowa then placed his hands on Quatre's ass and pulled Quatre so he was in line with Trowa now. Trowa then kissed the top of Quatre's head as she squeaked so innocently. "Love you, Quatre. Always will."

Quatre smiled sweetly. "I love you, too, Trowa." Quatre and Trowa shared a sweet passionate kiss. Trowa's hands started to roam Quatre's body searching for new weak points to use later on when they would work out how to pleasure their needs. Trowa was starting to slip his hands under Quatre's cloths when a knock came on the door, causing Quatre to groan and Trowa to growl.

"Yo, Cat, Tania." It was Duo. "We're having those girly lessons tomorrow thanks to Wufei. But we still got to finish putting together a wardrobe as Ilyana says. Be there in half an hour." Quatre and Trowa waited until Duo's footsteps were gone.

Quatre sighed. "I'm so glad you put the lock on that door." Quatre the cuddled back in to Trowa.

"I didn't do it."

* * *

Heero, Wufei and Duo stood out in the corridor away from Quatre and Trowa's room. All of them were still slightly confused and angry at what had happened during lunch. Heero looked calmer than she was earlier and a little less confused. Wufei was still mad at the way her fingers clenched around her upper arm trying to relieve herself of anger. Duo was just worried about little Quatre; Quatre was like a little brother – well sister – to Duo and they would always talk but seemed like one of those times when Trowa was to be the hero of the day.

"They didn't say anything but I felt as if they were trying to get their minds off things." Duo stated while a slight blush appeared on her cheeks.

"Making out?" Heero asked as if it was obvious. Duo nodded and sighed.

"Man I've never seen Cat so riled up like that." Duo said folding her arms and leaning on the wall next to Heero. "It seemed like I was watching a different person."

"I started to get flash backs of Zero Quatre." Heero muttered under his breath.

Wufei now calm turned to Heero. "We promised we wouldn't talk about that, Heero."

"I know." Heero stated before pushing off the wall. "But if you had listened to Ilyana, she mentioned Cat's Father. Even now it's still not an easy topic for Cat to discuss."

Duo sighed. "I bet Ilyana was just trying to remember the fun things about her dad. Those thrills of getting in trouble and having fun." Duo spoke. Unknown to them they had someone listening in to their conversation. "I just hope Cat will be alright." She sighed.

* * *

Never hearing or seeing their eavesdropper, the three left again. They slowly and very, very reluctantly made their way back down to the hallway where 'The Closet' was at. Heero and Duo were cowering behind Wufei... not that either one would call it 'cowering'. And all three were extremely relieved to find no one else around.  
Wufei sighed... but it was short lived. From one direction, Sally and Noin appeared. From another, Ilyana.. who seemed quite more reserved than her usual self. Ilyana opened the door and struck up a conversation with Sally and Noin. Wufei very reluctantly followed them into the room.. and Heero and Duo had to practically push each other in.  
Now... all they needed was Quatre and Trowa.

* * *

*

"Mmmm," Quatre moaned into the kiss, cuddling closer and closer. *Getting* closer was different than it had been before. There were new sensitive places, and new things that were a turn off. They fit together in a different way now... but just as perfectly as before. With love like theirs, mere physical difficulties would not separate them for long. Trowa's hands had found their way back underneath Quatre's shirt, exploring the familiar, yet completely alien and different, body. Quatre wrapped her arms around Trowa's neck.  
"Umm. Shouldn't we be getting up? I'm sure the others are waiting on us."  
"Urk. We don't have to."  
"But... it would be very unfair to leave our three friends to the mercies... or lack thereof... of Sally, Noin, and my sister."  
"Let Heero go 'Omae o korsu' on her. She deserves it," was the reply.  
Quatre giggled. "Though that is tempting... I'm not sure Wufei would treat us too kindly if we abandoned him."  
"I don't care. He can handle your sister."  
"Would you leave him alone with *your* sister?"  
Trowa paled. "Okay. Point made. Oh, and Quatre? No one should EVER be forced to be alone with Cathy. That is a nightmare."  
Quatre made a silly face. "More soup, honey?" he asked in a funny voice.  
Trowa paled even more, and dove for a tickle attack.  
"That is not funny," he stated amidst Quatre's bright laughter.  
"But," Quatre laughed, escaping and making a dash for the door "... as Wufei would say... 'That is justice!'"

* * *

Trowa playfully hit Quatre before getting up. Quatre jumped up and clung on tight to her lover as they left the room to wait what seemed like their never ending nightmare. They sighed as they saw their friends getting pushed around by the three elder women in the large room. Both Quatre and Trowa joined to the room before being separated between the adults. After what seemed like days they were finally done. All the young girls retreated to the garden to take in the last rays of the artificial sun.

"Well that was easier than I thought it would be." Four pairs of eyes turned to Duo in disbelief. Duo looked back at them oblivious to the reason for their confusion. "What?"

"Where was your mind during all of this?" Wufei asked leaning back in the deck chair.

"Well think about it they didn't start teaching us all those girly things did they?" Duo asked placed her hands behind his head.

"But we still have to do them." Heero stated still typing on his laptop that rested on the glass top table. A comfortable silence spread over the young teenage girls as they relaxed. Quatre sat comfortably in Trowa's arms. Something was bugging Quatre and she knew that if she said it, everyone would be awkward.

"Hey..." Quatre began to speak. "I have one question." Quatre gulped. "How long do you think we'll be girls?" An awkward silence spread over them now. None wanted to talk or even answer that question.

"Way to make us awkward." Duo said staring at the flowers in the garden.

"No." Heero stated looking up from his laptop. "One of us had to say it."

"We've been so occupied with getting away from Ilyana, Noin and Sally; that none of us actually thought about it." Trowa said wrapping her arms tighter around the blond. All of them wondered what would happen. If they stayed this way their lives would completely change. They'd most likely have to be reinstated as female Preventers and have their identities changed again. Quatre wouldn't be the heir of Winner and there would be more likely of a chance that people would start demanding she settle down and have a kid. But Quatre loved Trowa. Even an idiot could see that (well apart from Dorothy). But there is no way that Quatre or Trowa could pop out a kid being with each other. Out of all of them they would be the ones that struggle the most.

"Come on guys. Cheer up." Duo said becoming her normal plucky self. "I'll bet my life that we're gonna get back to normal."

"You really think so Duo?" Quatre asked with a slight glimmer of hope.

Duo smiled her cheeky grin. "I may run. I may hide. I may do everything, but never tell a lie." That seemed to bring a smile to everyone's lips. "Besides we've been in worse situations than this. I'm sure it will work out in the end."*

* * *

Duo stared after where Quatre and Trowa left.  
"Those two really believe in that whole love thing, don't they?" He asked Heero.  
"Hn. Baka. Surely you knew that by now?"  
Duo turned a violet glare... which Heero ignored by staring at his computer... upon the other pilot.  
"No. I mean, yeah. I already knew they think they're in love. But... I'm not sure I believe in love, but there is *something* there."  
"Explain." Heero finally looked up. The sound of Duo's voice, so intrigued and philosophical, was mesmerizingly new and different. Duo rarely showed that side of his personality around anyone.  
"Look at it like this... How many gay couples do you know that could make the transition from being two boys to being two girls just like that? And not lose that spark of physical connection?"  
"One," Heero replied, sending a pointed look towards the door the other two former pilots had disappeared through.  
Duo gave a soft growl. "You're being pig-headed, Yuy."  
Uh-oh, Heero thought. Duo only ever called him by his last name if he was very angry or annoyed with him. Best to tread carefully through these waters until he was on safe ground again.  
Heero tilted his head a little, chocolate hair bouncing. "Explain? I cannot follow your point, Duo."  
Duo sighed. "It's not about the physical stuff with them."  
"They certainly aren't lacking in the se..."  
"Shut up," Duo interrupted. "Of course they share a pretty satisfying personal life. But it's *different*. There's some... attraction... between their *souls* that goes different than some attraction between they're bodies. I can explain chemistry... that's just science. But... I can't explain how they can find pleasure in whatever they have to deal with physically, but as long as it's each other... they're happy. That's unusual. To see someone become the sun, moon, stars... to someone else so completely and thoroughly with no other thought than the other's inner self."  
Heero didn't raise his eyebrow or come back with some smart quip. It was unusual for Duo to be so deep and philosophical. What brought that on? Maybe... maybe it wasn't about *explaining* that relationship. Maybe it was about *wanting* that kind of relationship.  
"You want that kind of relationship for yourself," Heero surmised. "You are jealous?"  
Duo laughed softly, but it wasn't a funny 'haha' kind of laugh, but a wistful sort.  
"Very observant, Heero. No. I can't say I'm exactly jealous. I'd never do anything to hurt them, and I'd never wish anything to separate them. But yes... I think I would like to have something like that- whatever it is- for myself. Someday."  
With that, Duo stood up and left Heero alone in the fading light. Hn. Heero wouldn't admit it out loud... but deep inside... he too wanted what Trowa and Quatre had found with each other... whatever word it went by.

* * *

Quatre leaned against Trowa as she started to type. For some reason Quatre felt as if someone was a little jealous. It wasn't complete jealousy but more as longing what someone else had but not the *ones* actually involved. Quatre sighed as she realised the emotions to be Duo's. Quatre looked at the door and wish that she could go and talk but Quatre really wanted to stay with Trowa. She was starting to feel far from everyone right now. Everyone had become slightly distant since xx-015 got involved with their lives. It had only been two days but usually the girls could get about three days worth of fun, work and relaxation in one day. That's how they all were but it seemed difficult now. Not to mention that things felt as if they were going to change. For better and for worse.

"Little one," Trowa seemed to repeat. Quatre jumped out of her state and smiled at the brunet sitting next to her. "You seem distracted. Are you sure you want to do this now?" Quatre only blushed slightly and nodded. Trowa went back to typing – starting to feel like Heero – and looked at the blond from the corner of her eye.

Little one, she thought. What is with you lately?

* * *

Steam billowed out from the shower as Wufei washed the sweat of her daily kata's off her, as she scrubbed at her skin, leaving a faintly tingling red flush behind. Soap and water sleeked down her body, and Wufei tried her best *not* to think about that. Really. Even though it was actually *her* body... it wasn't *his* and it felt almost somewhat perverted. Common sense and rationality argued with him... he was being anal and pig-headed about it, but he wasn't giving in.  
Wufei wasn't about to spend the rest of his life like this. As soon as thing settled down and he was allowed to leave this damn house, he was finding a way to reverse this. Hn. But how?  
With the exception of the doctors, the only person who had close to their level of expertise was Duo's friend Howard. But Howard only knew the mechanical side of things. He wasn't skilled in genetics or whatever it was that did this to them. Hell... there were few experts in that field with enough skill to be able to do this. Fewer still who could be trusted with a case this sensitive by the Preventers... and virtually none that Wufei would be able to personally trust.  
He shut the water off and grabbed a towel before stepping out of the shower. Out of instinct, after his hair wasn't dripping anymore, he went to wrap the towel around his waist... woops. Glaring at the wall, he repositioned the towel to cover the newly enlarged chest he sported. Ugh. He wasn't sure he'd ever get used to being a *she*.  
Teeth were brushed, hair brushed, and other ablutions finished. He *still* had problems remembering to *sit* when he needed to take a leak. He could totally understand Meiran's rants at him about leaving the seat up. Hn.. What would the feisty Nataku say if she could see him now? She'd probably laugh and say that this was his justice for the way he treated women.  
But truthfully... it was her fault he treated women that way. He hadn't always been this way. No. It wasn't until an unprepared girl had taken duties far beyond her capabilities to complete... and paid for that mistake with her life. No.  
Wufei glared at the pink nightgown that sat innocently in the dresser of his borrowed room. Shoving it aside with a muttered 'Hell No', he found a silken red spaghetti strapped nightgown. If he had to be humiliated and brought down to wearing *dresses* then he would at least wear a respectable colour. Preferably a colour that didn't remind him or anyone else of the pink piglet that had once been the plague of their lives.  
That's when it hit him. Slipping the gown over his head, he exited the room quietly. Sneaking along the hallways. The noise coming from Quatre's assigned room told him that those two would have no problems adjusting to their new bodies, and the open door and silence in Duo's room told him that even this early in the night, Duo'd probably had a nightmare and sought comfort with Heero. If Heero wasn't around, Wufei knew Duo'd probably find him next. Failing that, Duo would hunt down Quatre and Trowa if the nightmare was bad enough. Heero was the only one Duo would turn to first, though. Those two, despite the way the argued sometimes, were fast friends... best friends, even.  
It took him only a few moments to reach the empty study where he knew was the communications computer he needed.. as well as Heero's disc with the xx-015 info on it. Booting the device, he typed in a quick command code. The video screen on the wall glowed faintly in the dark room, the screen giving him a dialling 'waiting' icon. It took about three minutes of waiting for the person on the other end to answer.

"Yes?"

Wufei blinked at the man who answered. Tall, bald, with skin as dark as chocolate, and eyes to match... a man obviously having been woken up from sleep, if the rather irate look on his face was anything to go by.  
"I need to talk with Miranda Lucas."  
"Who are you, and do you know what time it is?"  
"An old friend, and it's rather an emergency."  
The man grunted, then turned around. Wufei heard mumbling and muttering before a blond head appeared on the screen. Brown eyes widened in shock.  
"Lian! But... you... you're..."  
"Dead, I know," Wufei replied. "But that's because I'm not Chang Lian. I'm Chang Wufei."  
The woman, maybe some five years older than Wufei, snorted. "Nice try. But I didn't know Lian's baby brother was into the whole transsexual thing."  
Wufei growled. Damn, but this had been a mistake. "Listen, woman I need a favour. A Preventer's mission has gone wrong, and I'm in need of a geneticist I can trust to help. Can you help or not?"  
Miranda's eyes widened. "It really isn't Lian. Damn. Okay... I have no clue as to what's going on, but I'll trust you. I'm sending you a secure email. Use it to send me what you know."  
"Affirmative. Chang out."  
He loaded up the info and shipped it to the secure handle she sent moments later. Miranda was a doctor, specializing in test tube babies. Quatre might know more such doctors... but Wufei trusted this one; she'd helped him once or twice during the war, and she'd gone to school with his sister before then. Maybe she'd have no clue how to help.  
But it was worth a shot.  
As he made his way back to his room... he never noticed a figure separate from the shadows and go in an opposite direction.

* * *

Wufei walked back to her room when she heard a door open. She looked up from the floor to see Duo walking from Heero's room. Wufei never found it odd seeing that sight. Even when they had first started doing it. It had always seemed natural, as if Heero's room had always been Duo's room. Duo's hair still wasn't in a braid and was wavy to no end. Wufei had to admit that a female Duo was very attractive.

Duo shut Heero's door and turned to see Wufei at the other end of the hallway. Duo blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes before realising he wasn't dreaming. Duo walked close to Wufei not sure why the Chinese girl was there.

"Lian, what you doing up?" Asked Duo.

Wufei didn't want to tell Duo what he had been doing. "I was taking a walk." Wufei lied, but then saw that Duo was to sleepy to see it was a lie. "What are you doing up? Did you have a nightmare or something?" Wufei asked already knowing the answer.

Duo shifted from side to side and started to rub her arms. "No!" She lied. "I was just getting a glass of water."

Wufei believed the bit about getting water but not about the nightmare. "Alright. Good night Duo." Said Wufei walking back to her room.

"Good night." Duo said and walked in the other direction.

* * *

Duo slowly returned from getting a glass of water and went straight for Heero's room by passing her own. She knocked on the door and waited for a reply. She opened the door walked in and shut it behind her. She silently walked over to the bed, climbed on not trying to disturb Heero and snuggled back down under the blanket with Heero's intoxicating smell calming her somewhat speedy heart.

"You alright now?" Asked Heero as Duo gave a small sigh. Heero peeked over her shoulder that the long haired teen. Duo nodded. "Good now get some rest. It's been a long day."

"Night Heero."

"Good Night Duo." Heero said. And be free from nightmares.

* * *

This morning, Quatre was prepared when she and Trowa and Wufei opened Heero's door. There was a cup of ice and water in her hand, but she stopped as she took in the scene before her.  
Completely asleep, Heero and Duo were spooning. Heero's face was buried in Duo's thick chestnut waves, her arm tossed over Duo's waist. Duo's hand gripped Heero's like a lifeline.  
"Aww..." Quatre thought seeing the two. Everything clicked. She knew now what Duo wanted so badly. Why Duo was envious. Duo was in love with Heero! Certainly! That had to be it! But the two dim-wits in front of her would never ever admit that to each other. Admit that they wanted each other. Stubborn mules. Well, Quatre thought with a resolved smile. They'd just have to get a little help with that.  
And who better than Quatre herself?  
"What are you thinking, love?" Trowa asked into her ear, whispering, voice a little worried.  
"Oh... nothing you should worry about yet."  
"It's the 'yet' part that's scarring me," Trowa muttered. She hated it when her little lover got that smug look on her face. That look that said she was 'up-to-something' and usually she'd end up dragging Trowa along with her in whatever scheme she was concocting. Uh-oh.  
Quatre smiled, and went into the room. She touched Heero's arm and the Japanese pilot jerked awake immediately. Quatre sent the girl a soft smile, then held up the cup in her hand. Heero eyed it warily, but cautiously extracted herself from the bed. With an evil smirk, Quatre lifted Duo's arm up enough so that she could snatch two or three ice cubes and drop them down the sleeping girl's sleeve.  
"YEOWCH!" Duo screamed as the ice hit very sensitive places on her arm and chest. She jumped out of bed and did an odd little dance, pulling at her shirt until three ice cubes dropped to the floor.  
Four pilots were laughing... but then.  
"CAT! YOU'RE DEAD!"  
"Uh-oh," Quatre exclaimed... and turned to run, laughter echoing behind her.

* * *

"CAT! I'M GONNA GO ALL OMAE O KOROSU ON YOUR ASS!" Duo yelled running down the corridor after the blond.

"IN YOURE DREAMS DANNIELLE!" Quatre shouted back.

Heero, Wufei and Trowa grinned as they heard something bang down stairs. All sighed; just like in the war, still teasing each other. Trowa found it slightly amusing how Quatre and Duo acted like siblings to each other. Heero and Wufei had to admit the two young girls were amusing sometimes, but this was slightly getting out of hands.

"I hate to see her trick tomorrow." Wufei said folding her arm. Wufei noticed a small smile running over Trowa's lips. "What's amused you?"

Trowa turned to the two Asian girls. "Just thinking how much they're like siblings," Trowa stated before walking out the door and off to find her playful blonde.

"This will be interesting." Said Heero and Wufei agreed.

* * *

_"No word on where they are."_

_"Une said that they're on a mission for a long time."_

_"We have to find HIM!"_

_"__You're not the only one who has boy problems; WE need to find those boys._"

* * *

"Hello there Zechs." Said Noin as she sat at the large computer.

"How have you been?" Asked Zechs, smiling softly at the women.

Noin smiled the way she only did around him. "Fine. Zechs it's been two months since I've seen you." She looked at the door to the room then back at the computer. "Is there something you need?"

Zechs nodded. "Yes, Une wants to give you work. I'm to come and give it to you." Noin nodded. "I need coordinates to where you are."

"I'll send them now."

* * *

_"YES!"_

"What is it?"  
"The perfect idea. He *never* goes anywhere without one of his sister's knowing. We can just drop by one of them and ask her."  
"Why yes. Nice idea. Which sister, though?"  
"Ilyana. She's one of the closest to him. And she's one of the... oddest. We can get information from her."  
"Good. L4 it is. I'll book the shuttle. We leave in an hour."


	4. Chapter 4

~*

"CHILDREN!"  
The two skidded to stops in the dining room. Cat ducked behind her taller lover as Duo was speared with a glare from Ilyana.  
"Enough," the older sister said, sending a reproaching glare to her *sister* who stuck her tongue out at the brunette.  
"Now sit and eat," Ilyana ordered. "Lady lessons begin today. We'll start with general things, like sitting and acting and walking and speaking in normal environments. Then we'll move on to how you act in other environments. Like formal occasions and how to wear different clothes."  
"Don't you wear clothes the same?" Duo asked, sitting down at the table.  
Sally rolled her eyes. "Dannielle, you wouldn't sit down the same way in a mini skirt as you would a pair of jeans. And you certainly need to learn to walk in heels."  
"Of course. Now eat," Ilyana repeated. All the girls dug in to their food. Noin was smirking though, and Sally caught that smile.  
"Lucrezia. What have you done?" she asked in a whisper.  
Noin smiled and shook her head. "Ilyana? I have a Preventer stopping to drop off some work. Chances are he'll reach here this evening, around dinner."  
Ilyana nodded. "That's fine. He's welcome to stay the night, of course. It would be a nice challenge to see if these *girls* can *act* around someone they might know."  
Noin smiled, and Wufei frowned when those dark blue eyes landed on him.  
Hn. This was not going to be good.

* * *

After breakfast the door bell rang. Wufei was sitting on a chair with her arms folded next to a sulking Duo who was being told off for the way she sat in a skirt. It wasn't embarrassing until Noin explained that they could see her underwear. Quatre was sitting with her ankles crossed and her hands resting on her lap on the rim of her frilly skirt that her sister had chucked at her the other day. Trowa stood with her back straight and her arms folded waiting for her to be told what to do. And Heero; well Heero somehow started to have a sickly feeling in the pit of her stomach. Ilyana asked if Heero could get the door. Heero walked over to the door and opened it. There in all pink stood a young girl. She blinked a few times as she stared at the girl standing in front of her.

"Relena," Heero whispered as the girl stood in front of her.

Relena blinked once again. "Um... Have we met?" Heero shook her head as her heart started to race from the fright of the blonde being there. "Anyway my friend and I are looking for Ilyana Winner. Is she there?" Heero nodded again and pulled the door open wondering what in the world Relena was doing her. But when she saw the friend that stood with Relena, Heero wanted to commit suicide. There along with Relena stood Dorothy Catalonia; translation – a girl with an obsession over Quatre.

Quatre's going to kill me, Heero thought.

"Kimi-chan? Who's at the door?" Came a voice. Uh oh it's Duo. Heero thought, if Duo sees Relena this is going to get ugly. As if on cue there stood Duo.

Duo blinked a few times innocently before muttering. "Relena Darlian?" A collected group of gasps gathered from the other room.

"Who might you be?" Relena asked trying to seem innocent.

Duo smirked. "I'm Dannielle Gracin and this is Kimi Yomot." Duo's smirk widened. "We're friends of Cat Winner, Ilyana and Quatre's sister."

"Oh I didn't mean to interrupt." Relena said as she and Dorothy gave a bow. Duo and Heero could see right through their little lie.

Then behind Duo came Quatre, Trowa and Wufei all staring at the two blond girls that stood there. Quatre dodged behind Trowa as Dorothy's gaze landed on her. Duo stepped away from the others.

"Oh Miss Relena. I have a message for you." Duo smirked like the Devil herself.

Relena was in a state of utter confusion. "Oh?"

"Yeah." Duo placed her hands on her hips and grinned like the chasseur cat. "Stay away from my man." She giggled. "Heero Yuy is mine!"

Relena's mouth dropped open, and she sputtered for a few moments. Shocked... before the outrage took over.  
"Just who are you, Miss?" The pink princess demanded. "I'll have you know that Heero is practically engaged to me!"  
'Kimi' sputtered and went bright red, staring at Dannielle like she'd grown two heads. "Danny!" she hissed, even as 'Lian' smirked and 'Tania' chuckled.  
Dannielle grinned for all she was worth, quite enjoying her chance to take the princess down a few pegs and help out her friend in the process. "My name is Dannielle Gracin, or weren't you listening?" She planted hands on her hips and stared the other girl down. Relena might have been classified as pretty. In that polished magazine princess sort of way. Her long honey blond hair looked like strands of flaxen silk, her sky blue eyes round and bright. She even had a rather trim type of figure. Certainly far from horrible looking, in any mind. But Dannielle knew how *she* looked, and she could see the two women taking her in. Her height, still an inch or so taller than Relena. Her slim but curvy body, the masses of chestnut waves pulled up in a loose ponytail on top of her head. All accented by the rather short denim skirt and the tight fitting black tube top and white crotchet short sleeve jacket.  
All in all... Dannielle knew she... what was the phrase? Oh, yeah... looked like sex on legs. She sent a condescending smile to the blond pacifist.  
"And Heero Yuy is my *boyfriend*, so I'd appreciate it if you would stop chasing him around like a stalker, kay?"  
"I... I do not!" Relena replied, flustered.  
Dannielle's eyebrow raised. "That's not what he told me, sugar," he said, the sweet venom literally dripping from the words.  
Dorothy pushed Relena out of the way. "Forget about her and her obsessions. I'm looking for Quatre Winner. Do you know where he is?"  
"I do," Trowa said, a smile playing over his lips.  
Four pairs of eyes glared at him in disbelief. Cat's eyes were wide in shock.  
Had the time finally come?  
Would Trowa Barton finally abandon Quatre to the wolf with forked eyebrows?

"Really?" Dorothy leaped at the chance, latching onto the tall, slender girl's arm. The busty brunette looked down at the obsessed girl. "Will you tell me?" She asked.  
"No." Trowa replied with a smirk.  
Four sighs of relief went unnoticed.  
"But... why not?" Dorothy asked, pouting and glaring at the girl.  
Trowa... aka Tania... just smiled brighter.  
"Because I don't like the looks of you. And because Quatre Winner is *my* boyfriend."

Dorothy jumped back from Tania in fright. A blue shade of disbelief clouded her face. Cat couldn't help but find the events of the last few seconds amusing. Dorothy started to stutter. Cat sighed silently and wondered what rubbish Dorothy was going to say.

"B-But... But..." She stopped stuttering and began to get angry. "He's been mine since the war!"

Cat shuddered behind Tania and Lian as the fight continued. Cat could remember the long slim cold metal piercing her side like a shish-kebab. Cat placed a hand on her side where the remainder of that memory stayed. Forever indented in her mind and body. Never to be removed. Cat thought that on that day she had helped the poor misguided girl, however all she had created was an obsessive, large eye brow freaking stalker. No wonder Tania hated her so much.

"I don't think Quatre is the type to two time someone." Tania spoke softly keeping her cool as steam seemed to rise out of her ears. "I've been with Quatre since he was a Gundam Pilot."

Dorothy gasped. "How dare you mention that in public?" She spat. "These people don't have the right or the privilege to know of Quatre." That was it Cat had enough.

Cat jumped out from behind Tania and Lian and went right up to Dorothy. Dorothy held a good few inches over Cat but it didn't stop Cat's determination to put the brat in her place.

"Listen I don't know who you think you are. But I can assure you that my brother would never in his life go out with a brat who thinks she's so much better than everyone else." Go Cat, show her what a Winner is like, thought Danielle. "My brother and Tania are perfect together and I'm glad that they are together because he has never been this happy before and I know that if my brother was ever with you he'd do nothing but run away from you." And the gauntlet was thrown down. Cat Winner vs. Dorothy Catalonia and the winner is CAT! Everyone had to admit that Cat was a damn good actress and she still spoke her mind.

Dannielle couldn't help but smile at the two women as Cat walked away. "I'm sorry but Tania and I are with Heero and Quatre. And I know for a fact that the others already have someone." Dannielle only smirked again as she rapped an arm around Cat's shoulders. "I suggest you two stop this whole obsession before we personally have to kick your buts. We don't like people playing around with our men, or hurting our friends." Danielle gave a wink and the rest nodded.

"Agh! Grrr," Dorothy growled in frustration and humiliation. She reached out and snatched Relena's arm, dragging the sputtering vice foreign minister behind her.  
As soon as the door clicked closed... Wufei lost it. He doubled over with laughter. Duo crowed and let out a victory 'whoop' as she pulled Quatre into a impromptu dance.  
"THAT," she exclaimed, "was AWESOME! Go Tro... I mean, GO TANIA!" Laughing again, she launched into the chorus of 'Stand By Your Man', causing Wufei to fall into an even deeper laughing fit.  
"STAND BY YOUR MAN..."  
"Dannielle..." Heero tried, only to be ignored.  
"And show the world you love him!"  
"Dannielle... Danny..."  
"Keep giving all you can give..."  
"DUO!" Heero gave in, almost yelling. The chestnut haired girl stumbled away from Quatre, looking at him oddly.  
"Um... yeah?"  
"Thanks," Heero said softly with a small smile. Duo blinked, confused for a moment, and then smiled brightly back.  
"No problem. That' what friends are for!" Then, with a maniac laugh, he grabbed Cat up again and took off spinning in a half-waltz down the hall, still singing at the top of his lungs.  
"Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jo~leeeeenee! I'm begging of you please don't take my man! Jolene, Jolene, Jolene, Jolene! Please don't take him just 'cause you can!"  
Heero lifted and eyebrow.  
"Trowa... Duo's dancing off with your... um, girlfriend... singing a song about someone taking her man. That doesn't make sense."  
Trowa shrugged. "Since when has Duo ever made sense?"  
"Point made..."  
Ilyana peered into the foyer. "Is everything okay? I heard a commotion and wasn't someone was at the door? And um... why is Dannielle and Cat running around like maniacs?"  
And of course... Wufei lost it again, with Heero and Trowa following quickly. Ilyana lifted and eyebrow, then shrugged.  
"Teenagers," she muttered. "They make no sense."

* * *

Quatre felt slightly sick after being waltzed all the way around the house. The sight of Dorothy was sickening but having been spun around in an endless dance by Duo would put anyone's stomach to shame. Quatre sat down on a chair in the living room with a glass of water to help reduce the sickening feeling. Trowa rubbed Quatre's back trying to sooth the girl of her illness. After everyone had calmed down and Noin and Sally had come out of hiding – for fear that Relena and Dorothy would suspect something – they began the lessons. Although they did not seem to go so well. First off was walking in heels; effort B, actual success... F. Duo and Quatre had only gone crashing in to each other as they fell. Heero had fallen backwards dragging Wufei down with her and even Trowa couldn't manage to stay on her feet for more than a few seconds. Ilyana sighed as she watched the girls attempt at balancing. She sighed as Duo sent Quatre crashing to the floor once more...

Maybe we should try something else, Ilyana thought. She looked to see the living room floor littered with teen aged girls. Duo was unbuckling her heels to rub her slightly swollen ankle. Wufei and Heero just leaned against each other annoyed at the fact that they couldn't master walking on heels. Quatre just rested on Trowa who looked about ready to see if the Heero Yuy death glare would work on the shoes.

Sally looked at Noin with a perplexed, confused and amused look on her face. Utter disbelief. These five boys... er, girls... were the saviours of Earth and the colonies. Duo could rob a federal treasury blind in less than thirty minutes... alone... with no weapons and none the wiser. Quatre could talk said treasury out of all their money. Wufei made the old Jackie Chan movies look like child's play. Trowa could tame a lion with just a look and perform triple back flips across a hair thin high wire with no safety net. And Heero... well, Heero could set his own bones and self destruct and... well, glare.  
And yet none of them could walk in heels.  
"... Ought to just chop the heels off the shoes..." The two heard Ilyana mutter.  
Sally tried her best not to laugh.  
Noin spared a glance towards their hostess. "Perhaps we take a rain check on the heels and move on to something else, Ilyana. Maybe we could show them how to fix their hair... or apply make-up."  
Ilyana shuddered at how *bad* things could go by handing these girls mascara. "Oh, hell. Why not? But *not* all at once."  
Noin chuckled. "Point made. Okay, ladies. Come on, we'll split the load. Sally, you take Miss 'I-hate-being-a-woman-because-I-hate-women'. I'm sure you can figure out a few simple styles. *Dannielle* and *Kimi* here can go with Ilyana. I'll take the love-birds."  
The all nodded... this arrangement was suitable.  
"Thanks, Noin," Cat whispered to Noin once they reached the bathroom.  
Noin nodded. "I figured you wouldn't want her playing with your hair. Besides, I know she'd just be itching to get her hands on Duo's hair."  
Cat chuckled. "Anyone would."  
Noin looked at the two girls. "If you two'll keep a secret... I'll tell you something. Zechs is coming by tonight during dinner. He's dropping off my work load."  
Cat slit her eyes to the older woman. "Zechs?"  
Noin nodded. "Yup. Don't worry your devious little mind on it. You focus on those two adorable brunettes. I'll handle Wufei."  
Cat blinked... before it hit her. "Ah..." she grinned wickedly. She really liked how Noin's mind worked sometimes.  
Trowa looked back and forth between the two; she did not like those devious looks. One word popped into her head.  
Well... actually it was two.  
'Oh, f*ck!' (1)

* * *

Quatre sat down in the chair in front of the mirror watching as Noin brushed her hair. Small curls in her hair started to fall straight on to her back. At the beginning Noin and Quatre had found it a bit difficult to get the brush through the slightly curled hair however after a while it had smoothened out. Trowa sat on the bed waiting for Noin to finish with Quatre's hair. Noin slowly separated a few strands from the rest of Quatre's hair. Noin then grabbed the two ends and pulled them together pulling her hair off her face. Noin then held a small pink elastic band and slowly tied the ends together. Trowa was reminded of Relena with the style, however unlike Relena's tiny braids; Quatre had long flowing hair like a beautiful river. The style suited Quatre so much more than Relena. No one could ever compare to Quatre's beauty; whether Quatre's a male or female. Noin then pulled out a magnetic black ribbon and placed it over the pink elastic. Trowa's mouth dropped as Quatre turned around to Trowa. Quatre jumped up and ran over to Trowa like a sweet little child that had just done something for the first time. Quatre grabbed Trowa's hands and pulled her over to the chair. Quatre then whispered something into Noin's ear and Noin replied with a nod. Trowa then watched as her lover picked up the brush and started brushing her hair.

"Cat..."

"Don't worry," Quatre gave a wink. "I use to help my sisters out all the time."

* * *

Wufei briefly considered turning and fleeing. She would rather face down an army of mobile dolls in a decrepit Taurus than go through with this. She eyed Sally warily, but refrained from retreating as she was rather reluctantly dragged into the bathroom by the grinning doctor.  
The blonde turned and locked the door before shoving Wufei down into a chair that had somehow magically appeared in the centre of the large bathroom.  
"Sit," the woman ordered, then proceeded to pull the elastic band away and let Wufei's hair fall out of the ponytail. Her hair was less different than some of the other's. It was as black and silken and arrow straight as it was before, but now it was much longer, falling past her shoulders.  
"You have pretty hair," Sally commented, pulling a brush through the silky black locks.  
"A man is not 'pretty'," Wufei griped. Sally laughed.  
"Good. Because you, my friend, are no man. You are a rather attractive young lady. And don't forget that."  
Wufei muttered, but refrained from replying aloud. Sally hummed to herself as she worked. She grabbed a fine toothed comb and parted Wufei's hair, pulling the strands apart with a perfect seam down the centre of her head. Smiling, she separated the hair right down the middle, and worked on pulling the two sides into two pigtails right above and slightly behind either ear. Her smile grew even more wicked as she deftly put a twist braid into each pigtail, then wrapped them tightly against Wufei's head in a neat bun. She secured them with an elastic band and a few pins before finishing each bun off with thin bright red ribbons.  
The red would match perfectly with that white and red Chinese style dress Noin had shoved at Wufei yesterday. And she'd make sure Wufei wore that dress tonight to dinner. She couldn't wait to see the look on Zech's face when he saw a sexy young Chinese woman... Lian.  
Wufei glanced at the mirror when Sally said she was done.  
"Onna!" he shouted, realizing that he now had some odd variation of Evil-Une-Buns as Duo liked to call them. Well, actually they were not that similar. Wufei's were up higher and set further apart in a style that made his Asian features stand out all the more. It was rather attractive, but Wufei didn't care.  
The Chinese girl sighed, realizing she had no options left but to accept it.  
Sally laughed. "Hmm... wonder how the others are all doing?"

* * *

A knock came on the door. Mischa walked over to the door and opened the door wide to see a young man standing there. Long flowing white blonde hair cascaded down his back; it must have been as long as Dannielle's hair. His eyes where as blue as the sky, his skin was slightly dark. Mischa blushed as she saw the Preventer Agent stand there tall and proud. His eyes glanced over her causing the young maid to blush.

"Hello." He said. "I'm Zechs Marquise. I'm looking for Lucrezia Noin."

Mischa nodded and stepped to the side. Zechs walked in to the large hall way; Mischa asked Zechs to follow her into the living room but before they could enter the room a blonde woman came down the stairs. Ilyana came down the stair.

"Miss Winner, Zechs Marquise is here to see Miss Noin. Shall I go and get her?" Asked Mischa keeping her head down to not let anyone see the blush; Ilyana smirked as she saw the girl.

"Yes that would be wonderful and please tell everyone that dinner is ready." Ilyana said as she walked up to Zechs. "Hello. I'm Ilyana Winner."

Zech took Ilyana's hand and kissed it. "I am Zechs Marquise. It is an honour to meet you and thank you for allowing me stay here."

Ilyana smiled sweetly. "Aw the pleasure is all mine." She smiled sweetly as a loud bang came from upstairs and female shouting.

"What was that?" Zechs asked turning to look up the stairs in confused.

"Unfortunately, you've come at a time when my little sister has come home from boarding school with her friends." She gave a small smile. "The mornings are the worst."

"I see. A family reunion." Zechs stated. "If it's too much trouble I'll find a hotel to stay in."

"Not at all Zechs." Ilyana smiled and placed a hand on Zechs arm. "You are always welcome here." Zechs couldn't understand why the woman was so kind to him. During the war Zechs had attempted to kill her brother and yet she was so kind to him.

"ZECHS!"

Zechs turned to see Sally in the doorway, grinning. She was wearing a pretty gray dress. Hm. Ilyana was formally dressed, too. Maybe dinner was a formal issue tonight? He was relieved that his Preventer's uniform was clean and pressed. Hm... and he tried to recall if Noin had said anything about Sally being here. If she had, then he couldn't remember.  
"Zechs," Sally repeated. "I'm so glad you could come for di..."  
"AHHH!" Zechs' eyes darted towards the door. A slim young girl came flying into the room. Her wavy chestnut hair flew behind her in a dark waterfall, her black cocktail dress fluttering around her knees as she ducked behind Sally.  
"Sally! Save me!"  
At that moment another girl skidded into the room. Her long blond hair was pale and pulled back by two twists with a black ribbon, similar to Relena's. Hn, even her dress was a pale pink his sister would have envied, except this girl managed to pull it off elegantly, with a wide black ribbon as a belt.  
"Oh! Sally! Let me at hi... hello." The girl stopped, blinking at Zechs. She smiled brightly, almost as if she knew something. "You must be Zechs. I'm Catrina Winner. Noin has mentioned you several times."  
"Charmed," Zechs replied, kissing the hand offered to him. She blushed bright red and jerked her hand away.  
"Dannielle, why don't you come out from hiding and say hello to Mr. Marquise," Ilyana suggested. The girl waved from behind Sally, but didn't come out.  
Zechs had an odd feeling that he'd met these girls before. They looked so familiar. Hmm. The Winner girl was easily explained. Mere family resemblance, with the pale skin, blond hair, and aqua eyes she looked strikingly like her brother. The other... Hm, he thought, where had he seen those cobalt blue eyes? That chestnut hair and creamy skin?  
"Cat. Please stop chasing D..."  
Once again, Zechs looked toward the door. The girl in the doorway was petite, obviously of Chinese heritage, and probably around the same age, maybe a year or so older, than Zechs' sister. But there was no doubt who this girl reminded him off. From those tilted eyes, black as obsidian. The midnight hair- pulled up into two buns on either side of her head and secured with thin red ribbons. Golden dusted skin set off by the blood red and snow white dress. The dress reached her ankles, but was slit up each side to her thighs. It was snow white with a red brocade dragon running up one side, wrapped around and around, until it's head rested over her shoulder. The neckline dipped low in a 'v' shape, with a slightly tall collar. The sleeves ended right at her shoulders, exposing slender and strong arms.  
Even as Zechs stared at the vision before him, he knew who this girl reminded him off.  
She stared back at him.  
"Wufei..." he whispered quietly. She tilted her head, confused; as if debating what she should do. Then she smiled.  
"You know my brother?"

* * *

"BROTHER!" Zechs exclaimed as he watched the Asian girl walked over to her friends.

She gave a small smile to them and turned back to them. "Yeah of course he is." She smirked. "Did you think Quatre was the only one with sisters?" Cat and Dannielle only giggled.

Ilyana gave an amused giggle. "This is Lian Chang. Lian goes to school with Cat and her other friend that I mentioned earlier." Ilyana moved over to the girls. "Trust me Zechs you don't have to live here for very long." Ilyana giggled.

"Zechs!"

Down a flight of stairs came Noin. Noin flung in to Zechs' open arms. Noin and Zechs had been good friends for a long time and where closer than anyone. Noin gave a small friendly kiss on Zechs' cheek. Noin didn't miss a slight frown from Wufei as she did so.

"I'm so glad you came thank you so much for this." She smiled sweetly. "I owe you big time."

"You didn't tell me there would be so many beautiful females." Zechs complimented, causing Dannielle and Cat to giggle while Lian just rolled her eyes.

"Oh there are two more girls, where ever they are." Noin said with a sly wink.

Cat's face perked up and she grabbed a hold of Dannielle. "Dannielle and I will go and get Kimi and Tania." Cat turned to Lean. "Lian you can show Zechs to the dining room." Cat then turned on her heel dragging Dannielle behind her.

"Wait Cat..." To late she had already gone.

* * *

Lian's eyes were wide as she watched her two friends rush off. At first, it was in horror that Cat would leave her here alone with Zechs and three crazy women. Then... Cat's words sunk in. Kimi... Oh, God! This was a very risky dinner. What if Zechs recognized one of them? Surely, he'd be able to recognize Heero, of them all. After all, they *were* arch nemesis's once upon a time.  
Then... Lian's eyes met Noin's slightly worried ones, and once again Heero's alias's name hit her. Kimi Yomot. Oh, no! Zechs was a preventer like the rest of them. Did he know the *real* Kimi? Kimi was Japanese, and Heero was *part* Japanese, but they most certainly didn't look *exactly* alike.  
"Well, my dear?" Zechs asked. Lian looked up at him confused. "Would you care to show me through to the dining room?"  
Lian's face must have shown her opinion of that. Noin laughed.  
"Zechs... I think you're enjoying flustering the girls a bit too much."  
Zechs tucked Noin's arm into his and allowed her to lead him through into the dining room. The table was set with one extra place.. Lian groaned as she noticed it was right next to her. If she didn't know better, she'd think someone had set this up to torture her.  
"I'm going to kill them," Lian muttered under her breath.  
"What was that?" Zechs asked, turning to her.  
Lian blushed at being heard. "Just muttering to myself," she smiled.  
"Ah," Zechs replied. He couldn't help it. He was fascinated by this girl. She certainly had a familiar temper, which would make sense if she was Wufei's sister. Hm. Wufei, in the years they'd known each other, had never mentioned a sister. But then, Wufei never mentioned much of anything. He was a very private person.  
His musings were interrupted when the girls... Cat and Dannielle... came back, towing two others. One was fairly tall, slender and well endowed. She had warm auburn hair that fell straight past her shoulders, the ends slightly curled and flipped out. Silvery barrettes held her hair back from her face, but other than that it was left down. Her dress was an emerald green that matched her vivid eyes and conservative while still showing off her figure.  
"Zechs, meet my friend, Tania," Cat said, pulling the other girl along. Dannielle was behind her, pushing another girl. This girl had curly chocolate brown locks that barely reached her shoulders and sapphire eyes that went well with her strappy, sparkling blue and silver gown. Zechs immediately frowned. The feeling of de-ja-vu was back again, but for the life of him, he couldn't place the slim girl. Who was she? For that matter the Dannielle girl and the Tania one were familiar, too. Where, where had he seen them?  
The girl's eyes narrowed when they saw Zechs, but she didn't show any other signs of discomfort. Instead, she introduced herself as 'Kimi', and then left it at that as she sat down beside Dannielle at the table.  
All the girls acted slightly... off around him, he noticed. The narrowing or widening of eyes. The stiffness of posture. Hm. Well, with Cat and Lian, he could understand, sort of. He didn't guess their brothers often extolled his praises, if at all.  
And maybe the others, maybe they knew who he was, too. Maybe they knew he was the one who's attempted to destroy earth. Maybe he made them nervous with that knowledge.  
Ilyana broke in, smiling. "Dinner's ready," she said.

Dinner was silent with Ilyana, Noin and Sally talking, now and again the taunting women asked for Zechs' opinion. Zech kept giving glances towards Lian. She was very beautiful but of course she wouldn't like him. All the girls were beautiful and yet so familiar. Zechs pondered all through dinner at who they could be. Cat had to contain herself and be excused from the table at many times due to the fact that she couldn't help but giggle at the emotions she felt.

Dinner finally came to an end. Noin grabbed Zechs off to his room so he could have some rest for a little while. The Gundam girls sat in the living room in front of the fire with warm drinks in their hands.

"I'm surprised Zechs hasn't noticed yet." Duo said as she took a sip of her coffee.

Quatre smiled sweetly as she snuggled closer to Trowa. "He's confused I know that much. He's wondering where he has seen us."

"I thought he was going to recognise Heero." Wufei said as she sat on the single chair away from the others. "Do you think he will find out?"

"Not likely." Heero added, staring into the fire. "But we'll have to keep the acting up." Heero turned to Duo. "And that means good acting Duo!"

Duo gave a fake shocked expression. "Are you saying I'm a bad actor?"

"Actress."

"Actress?" Quatre corrected. Heero nodded causing Duo to cross her arms.

"You're over dramatic." Said Quatre with a giggle in her voice.

"As long as he doesn't find out we'll be alright." Said Trowa pitching in for the first time that night. Trowa lowered her head to rest on Quatre's.

"Yes but how much trouble is he going to cause?"

* * *

Wufei sighed in relief as she stepped out of the dress. Gods above, but she hated wearing that. Did they have to make the neckline so low? Or the slits on the side so high? What was it with women and wanting to show off their bodies like that? Ugh. She deftly slipped into a pair of loose cotton drawstring pants and what Sally had called a 'sports bra' before tossing on a cotton tank top and heading down towards the gardens.

She'd been shirking on her kata's since coming here, and it was time she fit in a little practice. This body was 'cushy' enough as it was without forgetting about her exercise. She quietly slipped past Trowa and Quatre's room, so as to not disturb them. Not likely they could hear her, anyway- even if she stood and banged on the door screaming bloody murder. Hm. Trowa certainly was a bit vocal in bed. Then Wufei skirted around the living room where Heero was *trying* to teach Duo to play chess. Again. They'd never give up trying, although it seemed to be a lost cause.  
Wufei let out another sigh as she moved into the garden, away from the house. The air was slightly cold, but not too much. The light was just starting to fade, but there was more than plenty for her to work by. She started slowly, loosening up her muscles... a bit longer than she normally would have... before moving on into the exercises that were so familiar to her. 

* * *

Zechs was talking with Noin. She was laying on her back on the bed of his room, chattering away. Zechs was pacing around his room, when he suddenly stopped in front of the window. From the second story window, he could see perfectly down into the gardens. And thus he had a very perfect view of a lithe body moving sensuously and gracefully through some kind of martial arts exercises. He'd seen Wufei go through similar exercises often enough in the Preventer's gym. And Zechs had to admit, if only to himself, that he'd always admired Wufei's strong, petite frame as he moved through the fluid motions. But Zechs had more than once had to remind himself that Wufei was a *man* and not a *woman*. God, if only Wufei were a girl... But that idea was laughable. Wufei wouldn't be the same person if he were a girl.  
"Beautiful, huh?" Noin asked, coming up beside him. He didn't look at his friend. If he did, the small smirk on her face would have worried him.  
"Very. But she is too young. And if she's anything like her brother, she won't want anything to do with me."  
Noin snorted, a very unladylike laugh. "She's the same age as Wufei. That's only a few years younger than you and I. And she's the spitting image of him... almost identical, in a way; but how do you know Wufei doesn't want anything to do with you? Have you asked?"  
Zechs turned to Noin. "Wufei, in case you haven't noticed, is a male. I am a male. Can you really see a romantic relationship happening there?"  
Noin shrugged. "Love can come in many ways and forms, Zechs," she said, her voice serious. "There's the love we share. We're like soul-mates, you and I. Best friends. But we couldn't do the whole romantic thing. It wouldn't work between us. Maybe you should go down and talk to her. Just talk and nothing more."  
Zechs nodded. "Hmm... maybe."  
With Noin urging him on, he turned and made his way out to the garden...

* * *

Lian softly moved from the slow moves in to fast blocks, kicks and punches that would enable her to overpower any enemy. Her skills rained from Morote Shotei uke (Double open-hand straight block) too Chudan Mawashi Geri (Middle level roundhouse kick).

Zechs was impressed by the girl's fluid motions as she seemed to dance through the air, as graceful as a bird and as fearsome as a mountain lion. Zechs wouldn't want to end up fighting this girl in battle. If she was anything like her brother she would knock him down within a few seconds. Zechs stepped on to the slate that rested on the grass causing a tap. Lian swung around in a protective stance that looked like she was ready to pounce on him like a black puma. Once Lian seemed to realise who it was that had been watching her she stood straight but didn't seem impressed.

"It's rude to stare and it's even ruder not to make yourself known to a person." She spoke as she returned back to slow movements that caused the small muscles in her body to flex as she move with precise accuracy hitting every move perfectly.

"Gomen," Zechs said as he went to sit on the small wall resting about 10 steps away from the girl.

"Is there a reason you're out here?" Lian asked as the lunged forward facing him with her arms out stretched – parallel – and her hands fisted. She then rose up and exhaled as her arms made a cross in front of her stomach before she move to create an open hand block leaving the other open hand on her belt.

"You girls seem very uneasy around me. Is there a reason?" Zechs asked as he folded his arms.

Lian seemed to pause for a second before she stood up as if to be finished and turned with a face that strikingly resembled Wufei's annoyed face. "Wouldn't you if you where talking to the leader of the White Fang?"

Zechs couldn't hide the wince at the girl's statement. It wasn't delivered with hate or malice or anger. It was simply a statement. A question. And yet, that seemed to cut him deeper than any accusations or yelling or hatred. Just that calm observation.  
"I did what I thought was best at the time," Zechs replied, raising his face to meet the girl's onyx eyes. "Sure. Maybe I was misguided. Maybe I was wrong. But I followed my instincts. I followed my heart and I will not apologize for that."  
"Oh," she asked. "So you'll apologize for what then? How many innocents did you kill in White Fang's name?"  
Zechs winced again, the girl's words were as sharp as a sword. "You certainly know how to weld your weapons, Chang Lian. Just like your brother. And does he have blood on his hands as well?"  
The girl's eyes flashed. "The Gundam pilots fought for *peace*. They fought for the *good*, the *right*. They fought for Justice."  
"Whose definition of right?" Zechs countered. "Everyone has different ideas of what is right and good. I fought for what I thought was right, and I did it in the only way I saw open to me. Is it your place to judge what is deemed good and evil in the universe? Should your ideals be forced upon the masses?"  
The girl's hands fisted and aloof of anger crossed her face. "You are one to ask that question. Should *your* ideals have been forced upon people?"  
Zechs shrugged. "I knew what I was doing. I knew what I was fighting for... what I was fighting against. And I knew the likely outcomes of what I did. I knew I would be hated and scorned. I wasn't looking to be a martyr."  
"You just expected to be dead, right?" Lian raised an eyebrow in scorn. "The coward's way out."  
"Yes," was the reply. "Only fate had different plans and denied me the coward's death. But given the chance, I would still do it over again. We have peace. And if my being the bad guy had helped in any minuscule way, then I'm more than willing to shoulder that burden."

Lian observed the man before her. His white-blond hair reflected the fading light, his pale blue eyes sad and distant. He looked almost... melancholy. But still strong at the same time. How could one be weak and strong at the same time? How could they be so... right and wrong at the same time?  
In the year since the wars, she'd never spoken much with the taller, older Preventer. Only a few sharp words here and there. For the most part, Zechs stayed out of the way of all five Gundam pilots. Sally and Noin often played liaison between them. For the first time, Lian had a thought about how lonely Zechs must be. Even his sister hadn't completely forgiven him.  
Zechs had done things that maybe he wasn't proud of... could any of them say any different about themselves? No. Would he change them? No... But would any of them? Thinking over it, Lian made an unsettling discovery, an epiphany that would likely change her life... for better or worse, she didn't know.  
Because right then, she realized that maybe Zechs was no different that she herself.

"It must be hard for you sometimes." Said Lian as her eyes gazed over him with slight sympathy.

"Yeah it is." Zechs said giving Lian a soft smile. "But it must be even harder for you and Wufei. Only having each other left for support and comfort."

Lian gave a small laugh. "No, we're usually alone. We don't exactly see much of each other these days. But I know that he'd come through for anyone if they needed help."

"You mean the rest of the Gundam Pilots." Zechs butted in. Lian looked up at the slightly smiling Zechs. "That's the only time I've ever seen him help out. He's a loner; it's who he is."

"Kind of like you?" Lian asked as she folded her arms pushing up her breasts.

"At least Wufei can turn to someone who knows that feeling." Zechs said as he stood and walked over to Lian. "You're a good kid Lian. To good for many men." Zechs then turned on his heel and walked back into the house.

Maybe I was wrong about him, Lian thought. Wait! Why did he call me kid instead of girl? Could he...

K'SO!

* * *

1Much thanks to ShenLong Deb for graciously allowing us to borrow this line from her fic 'Down On The Farm'


	5. Chapter 5

Quatre smiled as she rested on the window sill smiling down, watching Zechs and Wufei have a little talk. Quatre sometimes liked watching Wufei do her martial arts. It was somewhat relaxing yet seemed like Wufei was one in a million who could do it and Quatre sort of admired Wufei for that. Quatre watched as Zechs walked away from Wufei. Quatre sighed; she had expected a kiss but oh well.

Trowa walked out of the bathroom clad in a white tinted dressing gown. Trowa quickly towel dried her hair before walking up to her lover and kissing her on the cheek. Quatre smiled as Trowa pulled her over to the bed to begin their new make out session. But before their lips brushed.

"Tro~wa." Quatre blinked sweetly and pushed her breasts upwards. "Since your close to Wufei and everything... Could you... possibly talk about Zechs with him? Privately?" On the last word came a sly yet sexy wink from the blond.

Trowa's lips curved into a smile, and she kissed Quatre. "Anything for my golden angel."

Quatre blushed before pouncing on Trowa and capturing the sweet lips in a kiss.

* * *

Lian cursed out loud, realizing Zechs must have been onto their charade, and gave chase to the older man.  
"Zechs! Zechs stop right there!" She demanded. Zechs slowed, and turned, just inside the patio doors. The light from inside the house case him in a silhouetted shadow.  
"How did you figure it out?" Lian demanded, trying to fathom the eyes that were hidden from her view.  
"Figure what out?" Zechs asked. He sounded confused.  
"Sha zi," she spat, angry and annoyed. "You called me 'kid'. Not 'girl'," Lian pointed out.  
Zechs' eyes narrowed, though Lian couldn't see them. "And that means what? It's just an expression."  
"You know. But what I want to know is how you figured it out."  
Zechs took one step back, because Lian was pacing towards him. The step placed him inside the house, and suddenly he was bathed in light. Lian could see the clear confusion on that handsome face.  
Handsome... where the hell had that come from. Lian felt as if her world were tilting on its axis... Tall... handsome... fair of visage but dark of soul...  
Onyx eyes blinked at Zechs. Who had a darker soul than the man who'd single handily tried to destroy the earth?  
"Zhao ma," she muttered at that crazy old woman's voice echoed inside her head. She'd forgotten. How could she have forgotten?  
"Lian?" Zechs asked, concerned. And for the first time Lian saw how close she'd just come to giving them all away. Maybe it really was just an expression.  
"I..." She gulped. Her head was spinning; she couldn't think straight. Gods... "I... I've got to go..."  
She turned and fled as fast as her feet could carry her, leaving a confused and stunned Zechs in her wake. 

* * *

Dannielle looked up when she saw a black haired streak blur past the doorway to the living room. She jumped up in concern.  
"W...Lian?" She called, looking down the hall towards where the other girl disappeared. Something was wrong, and she said so aloud.  
"We should get Cat," Kimi observed. Dannielle nodded, and walked up the stairs to knock on the door, but the door swung open before she even knocked.  
A flushed, flustered blond answered the door, her eyes bright and sparkling with worry. Tania lay back on the bed, her white gown ruffled up, her hair mused, looking concerned for her lover.  
"Sorry to interrupt," Dannielle said in a worried voice. "But ... Lian... just ran past here. I think... I think I saw tears. Anyway, she seemed pretty upset. And Cat, you're the empath, right?"  
Cat nodded. "I felt it just now." She turned to the auburn haired girl on the bed. "Think you could..."  
Tania nodded. "Of course."  
Out of all of them, Dannielle realized, Heero and Trowa were the only ones to have ever spent much time with Wufei. And with his closeness to the empath, Trowa'd learned a thing or two. Enough so that he'd be the better choice.  
Dannielle nodded at the realization.  
"Yeah. I really am worried," she whispered. Cat patted her shoulder as Tania straightened her dress and walked down the hall.  
"We all are."

* * *

Zechs blinked as he watched the Chinese girl leave the room. Zechs was confused at what had just happened.

"Lian?" Zech heard Danielle called out. Zechs walked out of the room and in to the living room where Kimi stood. Kimi froze as she saw Zechs. Out of all the girls Kimi seemed to freeze up the most around him. Zechs wondered why that was.

"Is Lian okay?" Asked Zechs trying to sound as if he had no idea what was going on. Kimi nodded before walking away. Zechs sighed. Am I really that bad with females, he thought.

* * *

Trowa knocked on the door. "Lian, its Tania. Let me in?" Trowa got a mumbled 'go away' instead of what she wanted. Trowa then opened a door only to receive a pillow in her face. Trowa sighed before picking it up and closing the door on the dark room. On the bed was a small pile of limbs. Trowa walked over and placed the pillow next to the ebony hair on a silk white pillow. Trowa placed a hand on the girls shoulder.

"Please Wufei. Talk to me." Trowa spoke softly.

Wufei lifted her head. Trowa expected to see tears down Wufei's face or at least it piping red hot. But nothing but a melancholy face. Wufei sat up and crossed her legs keeping her eyes on the sheets she sat on. Trowa just rested on the end of the bed.

"I... I don't know how to say this..." Wufei sighed. "I think I almost blew our cover."

Trowa was surprised but as usual kept her straight face. "With Zechs you mean?"  
Wufei nodded. "I don't know why but... I felt different around him this time. Like having this plushy body has made me soft." Wufei sighed. "I guess I wanna get back to normal."

It took much nagging and cajoling, but Trowa finally managed to get Wufei to relate the entire tale of what happened in the garden. Trowa was mildly surprised, kinda not shocked, and then another part just wanted to laugh at poor Wufei's confusion.  
"Wufei," he said softly. "Have you considered maybe it's not the female body that's making you feel this way? That maybe, it merely opened up a new means of communication between the two of you? Being someone different allowed you two to talk different than you normally would. To actually *talk* at all."  
"We've talked," Wufei snapped.  
"Grunts and five word sentences pertaining to Preventer's work does not quality 'talking'. I learned that from Quatre."  
"Maybe *you* are the one going soft, Barton," the Chinese teen poked.  
A silly grin lit up Trowa's face. A few years ago, the look would have seemed out of place on that face. But not now. Now, it seemed completely natural.  
"Yeah," Trowa said. "Being in love will do that to you." 

* * *

Cat paced back and forth across the living room floor.  
"Cat, stop pacing. You'll wear a rut in the floor," the chestnut haired girl called from her seat by the fire.  
"But I just can't help ..."  
*beep beep beep*  
The blond nearly jumped to the ceiling when the vid phone's alert went off. Dannielle snickered as Cat composed herself, walked over to the wall and answered the vid.  
"Winner Residence."  
A blond haired, tan skinned girl popped into view. She wore what seemed to be a white lab coat.  
"Um. I need to speak with Wu... I mean Chang Lian. Is she there?"  
Cat's eyes narrowed, and Dannielle and Kimi both stood up to flank her. Who wanted Wufei? They'd heard the slip up. Who knew?  
"Lian is busy at the moment. May I take a message for her, Miss..."  
"Lucas. Doctor Miranda Lucas," the woman supplied. "Lian contacted me about a medical ailment, and I'm afraid I can't say what I need to through Email. Could you perhaps tell her to call me?"  
"I can," Cat nodded. "Although if it pertains to... recent... changes... in her health, then I can assure you, you can speak with the three of us."  
The woman's eyes narrowed at them. "You are three of the other four that were... afflicted?... as well?"  
Cat nodded. "Yes. Although I must admit we had no clue Lian had already contacted anyone regarding this. I've placed a call or two myself, but there are few people I would trust with a matter such as this."  
"Yes, of course. Is... is this a secured link?"  
"Dannielle?" Cat turned to her long haired friend. The girl smirked, and fiddled with the com link for a moment.  
"It is now," she chirped.  
Miranda Lucas sighed. "Very good, then. I went to school with Chang Lian... the *real* Chang Lian. I was a close friend of the family until the accident during the war." She bowed her head for a moment. "I assure you that you can trust me. Wufei would not have contacted me if he doubted my loyalties or abilities. And he has excellent judge of character- or at least he used to."  
Cat nodded.  
"But that brings me to why I'm calling," Miranda continued. "You see... I wanted to let you know what I discovered..."

* * *

"I guess you must enjoy being with him?" Wufei has a crack of a smile forming on her face.

Trowa nodded. When Trowa had first spoken to someone about Quatre it had been Wufei. Even though Heero was the person Trowa sort of looked up to; Wufei always seemed to have more experience with emotions than Heero who was just coming to terms with his emotions. Wufei smirked as she remembered the first time Trowa and Quatre had told them they were going out. That was a time no one could ever forget. They had all had a night out and nothing seemed to matter that night until Duo and Heero had the drinking contest. Guess who lost?

"Remember that night you first told us?" Wufei asked as a small chuckle escaped her lips. "I have never seen Duo and Heero that way before."

Trowa's smile grew as she remembered her having to drag Heero out of the bar. "Jessie was not impressed by us." Jessie had been one of Quatre's sisters who owned a bar and had basically let them party till sunrise. "Us having to drag them out was the worst thing." Both laughed.

"Yeah I still have the mark from when Duo scratched me." Wufei laughed. "I think Quatre was embarrassed all night. Remember when Duo tried to kiss Quatre for winning the pool game?"

Trowa couldn't stop laughing as she thought about Duo leaning over to Quatre only to get pushed off the end of the little wooden bar. "Yeah I'm surprise I didn't kill him for that. Why was Quatre the winner of the game? Why not you?"

Wufei gave a joking offence look. "Duo... Me... Kissing? Are you trying to cause a massacre?" Both burst in to laughter.

"We haven't done this in a while." Trowa said as she used her arms to lean back on.

"I guess work gets the best of us sometimes." Wufei smiled as she leaned back against the head board. "It's been a while since any of us have been to a club together."

"I think that's the first thing we should do when we're finish with this mission." Trowa chuckled. "Seeing Quatre and Duo dancing would be good."

"And us trying to beat Heero at a drinking contest."

* * *

Zechs slowly walked back to the kitchen. He sighed as he settled himself on a barstool at the breakfast bar. Lian probably *hated* him as much as her brother did. And the others didn't like him much either. Maybe he was destined to live life alone. Maybe he wasn't meant to have anyone other than Noin, his best friend.  
He was so deep in his thoughts that he almost didn't hear her come up.  
"Penny for them?" Sally asked, moving to the fridge to withdraw two sodas. She slid one to him as she hopped onto the seat beside him.  
"Just brooding," he mused.  
"Hmm. Brooding. Why are you doing that?"  
Zechs sighed, and gave up. There was no use trying to evade Sally. She was nearly as bad as Noin. "Just thinking. I think I may have upset Lian."  
"Ah... and how pray, did you upset such a strong person?"  
"I'm not sure. That's the thing. She was mad because I called her 'kid' and then she looked like she got conked upside her head before she ran away from me. I think she was crying."  
Sally blinked. "You made her cry!"  
Zechs bowed his head. "I don't know," he cried. "I just... Sally. I knew what I was doing. I thought I'd be dead. I never expected to have to *live* through everyone hating me. Am I destined to be hated by everyone?"  
Sally blinked away tears and patted his shoulder as he leaned his forehead against the cool marble of the bar.  
"Don't fret so, Zechs. I'm sure things aren't as bad as you think they are. Just give Lian a little time. She's a bit... fragile... right now."  
Sally rubbed his back as she wondered just how long things were going to stay so messed up for everyone. 

* * *

Quatre didn't bother knocking. Instead, she marched right into Wufei's room. Her lover and her friend were sprawled across the bed, and it looked like Wufei was laughing. She mentally smiled, glad things were getting back on track and that Wufei seemed okay.  
But she didn't dwell on that, instead motioning Duo over to the wall, where the chestnut haired pilot fiddled with the vid com before Miranda Lucas' picture popped up on the screen.  
"Miranda," Wufei gasped, sitting up straight.  
"It's okay to speak here," Quatre murmured to the woman. "We're secure."  
"Wufei," she nodded. "I have some good news and some bad news for you."  
"Good news first," Trowa said.  
Miranda nodded her head. "Good news is there is a way to fix the genetic changes. Pretty much the same way it changed can change it back."  
"That is good news," Duo chirped.  
"And the bad?" Heero asked.  
"Bad news is I don't know how to do it yet. I'm working on understanding the experiment right now, and then I'll be able to think of a sort of counter drug, so to speak. Likely it will involve the same elements as the first time, the way you described it. Radiation and gas. I'll let you know as soon as I have something feasible worked up, alright?"  
Wufei inclined his head. "Thank you."  
"No problem," the woman grinned. "This is the most fun I've had in ages. I'll call back soon. Lucas out."

The screen went blank, leaving the girls stood where they were. It was obvious what they had to do. But there was too much happening right now; with Zechs and everything, Relena and Dorothy showing up. Could there be any more thing going wrong? Quatre turned to the others.

"What should we do in the mean time?" Quatre asked as she sat next to Trowa. "We may be like this for a very long time."

"We always knew this was going to happen." Said Heero standing in the door way. She walked over to the others. "In the mean time we should play the parts we said we would. We need to continue deceiving Zechs and hope that no one else interferes with us right now."

"Heero's right. But there's one thing." Trowa stated.

"And that would be?" Duo asked as she watched Trowa's arm slowly curve around Quatre.

"Zechs is going to start to notice if we just stay in the house every day. We're going to have to go into town for him not to be suspicious." Trowa said.

"Trowa has a point. Maybe staying inside isn't the best idea." Wufei said as she crossed her legs. "But what are we suppose to do?"

Quatre leaned on Trowa and thought about all the times she had gone out with her sisters. "Well we could go to the park..." Quatre paused as she thought for a second.

"Care to share Q-chan?" Duo enquired as she saw the pondering look on the blond's face.

Quatre then turned to Trowa and looked up at her green eyed lover. "Isn't the circus here on the colony tomorrow?"

Trowa thought for a few seconds and nodded. "Yeah. Cathy was going to call me when she arrived so we could go and see her, Quat." Trowa paused. "Oh..."

Quatre sighed and cuddled up next to Trowa. Cathy was going to be heartbroken that 'Trowa' couldn't be there. That he could even answer her calls. Cathy, of course, knew about Trowa and his relationship, and while not exactly thrilled about it, she was very pleased that her 'brother' was happy, and thus she accepted Quatre.  
"We can still go to the circus," Duo chirped. "We just have to play our parts really well. Who knows maybe Cathy won't even recognize us if we act really good."  
"Baka," Heero chided softly. "Of course we could, but they're thinking about Trowa not being able to see his sister, or talk to her."  
"Ah," Duo nodded. "So... no circus?"  
"We can go," Trowa said. "But we'll have to avoid her. She knows me too well."  
"And we'll have to talk those silly onna's into it," Wufei added.  
"Sally and Noin will be easy. It's Ilyana that might put up a resistance," Quatre spoke up. 

* * *

Zechs looked up when the five girls filed into the room. Kimi came in first, with Dannielle bouncing along right on her heels. Cat and Tania walked side by side, arms nearly brushing, and Lian brought up the rear, close enough to be part of the group, but still alone and slightly separated. The former Tallgeese pilot almost frowned. That formation was familiar. Where had he seen it before? Five people walking just like that, in such an order? He shook the feeling of de ja vu from his mind as the blond Cat broke away front the group.  
"Sally! Can we go to the circus tomorrow!"  
Sally blinked. "The circus? Now, girls... I don't know if that's such a good..."  
"We'll behave, promise!" Dannielle cut in.  
"We really want to get out of the house," Tania said quietly.  
"We're going crazy," Lian added.  
Sally sighed. "You do have a point. Okay, I'll get Noin and we'll talk to your sister, Cat. Tania? Can you call and reserve us all places?"  
The girl nodded. Sally looked across to Zechs. "Would you like to join us all?" Zechs blinked.  
"At the circus?"  
A nod.  
"Hmm. I guess I could. It's been a very long time since I've visited a circus."  
"Okay," Cat smiled. "It's settled. Tania, we'll go call and make reservations for nine people. Then I think we should all head to bed! Tomorrow's going to be fun!" With that, the girls filtered out of the room.  
"They look so familiar," Zechs murmured.  
Sally blinked, surprised. "Well... two of them do have brother's that you work with. Stands to reason."  
"Yeah, I guess so. But I just can't shake the feeling that I know them. Or that they know me."

* * *

Zechs watched how the girls moved around each other and to see if they could go tomorrow. How did this suddenly come up? Looks like they all know the colonies happenings, probably better than they knew each other. Zechs watched as Tania put the phone back and was surrounded by Cat and Dannielle. Once Tania turned to them and nodded Dannielle started bouncing up and down dragging a giggling Cat around with them. These girls couldn't be much older than their brothers. Ilyana then popped out from a small room and talked to the girls for a little while before Cat and Dannielle cheered and ran over to the others.

"Alright now off to bed all of you." Ilyana spoke pushing the girls off and up the stairs. Zechs watched as the girls ascended the stair case and stood at the top. All wishing Ilyana and Sally a good night before the two women left the hall way.

"This is going to be so cool!" Dannielle exclaimed.

"Let's go. We've all had a long day."

Zechs then walked to the stairs and watched as the girls obliviously walked to their rooms. Silently Zechs followed watching each move the girls did trying to find out why they were so familiar to him. Zechs watched as Lian bid them good night and walked into her room away from the rest without a second glance. Cat seemed to cling on to Tania as they both entered a room leaving Dannielle and Kimi on their own. A small conversation started between the two.

"Kimi... Could I stay with you again tonight?" Dannielle asked as she looked at her door as Kimi stood a few doors down.

Kimi sighed. "Another bad dream?" Kimi asked as she opened her door. There was no reply from Dannielle but Zechs could see that there was a bond between the two. "Alright." Dannielle then ran over and gave her friend a hug before they both walked into the room.

Zechs walked up the stairs and waited a little while wondering if those girls had something more than friendship between them. Zechs was so lost in thought that he didn't hear the person walk up behind him.

"Is something wrong Zechs?" Zechs jumped around to see a bouncy looking Ilyana. Ilyana smiled at Zechs before repeating her question. "Is something wrong?"

Zechs kind of nodded his head. "Is there something going on between Cat and Tania?"

Ilyana paused for a little and seemed to wonder how to answer it. "Since the war, Cat and Tania have been inseparable. You see Cat is afraid of being alone and she finds that without her friends around she feels alone. That's why she's always with one of them. Even when she sleeps." Ilyana's hands gripped the dress she was wearing. "Tania is just her best friend and knows the feeling."

Zechs nodded and looked back to where Dannielle and Kimi was. So Cat was a lot like Quatre. Interesting, thought Zechs. "And Kimi and Dannielle?" Zechs couldn't help but feel lost when he heard Ilyana's laugh. He turned back to the woman to see a large smile on her face that matched Cat and Quatre's smile.

"We suspect something, is all I'm saying." She giggled before calling to him good night and heading to her room.

Zechs sighed and rubbed his pounding head at all the information he had just received. "Women!"

* * *

Zechs kept Ilyana's words from yesterday in mind as he made his way to the dining room for breakfast. Mornings were worst, she'd said. And after what he'd seen of the girls so far... he hoped Ilyana was overstating things.  
"CAT!"

*boom*

*crash*  
"Danielle, watch out for the..."

*slam*

"...door."  
Zechs winced, and Sally, already at the table, grinned.  
"Mornings are the worst," she said. "Cat's always finding new ways to wake Danielle up. And Cat has a rather sadistic streak in her."  
Kimi, Tania, and Lian walked sedately into the dining room. Lian wore silken red pyjamas, Tania wore a mint green T-shirt that reached to her knees, and Kimi wore a pink spaghetti strapped nightgown.  
As soon as the three reached their seats, like clockwork Cat and Dannielle arrived. Cat, in her pink Pj's, skidding into the table with the long haired girl hot on her heels.  
Noin followed them and gave Zechs a wink.  
"I'm just hoping they'll act a little more civilized once they get out in public," she laughed. 

* * *

Quatre frowned as she tugged the fitted white and pink T-shirt over her head. She could feel Zech's uneasiness; Wufei's confusion; and Trowa's worry.  
"Trowa, love," she said. "Don't worry so much. We're very good at doing what we do."  
She moved her two braids a bit, evening them out as she turned to her lover. Trowa was frowning. Quatre smiled, and tucked Trowa's hair behind one ear, revealing both verdant eyes.  
"Everything will be okay," she smiled, and leaned up to brush her lips across the taller girl's.  
Trowa smiled back down at her.  
"Of course it will," Trowa whispered. "As long as I have you... I know everything will always be okay."

* * *

Zechs waited down stairs with Noin and Sally talking to them about various missions they had done, or about the Gundam Pilots, even the teenage girls had popped in to the conversation. Noin wanted to have a little fun and make Zechs slightly uncomfortable.

"So what do you think about Cat and all them?" Noin enquired about the cute teenage girls.

Zechs gulped slightly. "Their alright. But I have to tell you I always get de ja vu when their around."

It didn't take Sally long to realise what Noin was doing. "Anyone of them catch your eye?"

Zechs tried to suppress a blush but it was seen by both girls. He turned his head away from them. "I don't think that that should be talked about. Besides their two young."

"But their only two years younger than you!" Noin exclaimed a bit too loud.

"Who's two years younger?" Came a happy hyperactive voice. Zechs, Sally and Noin turned to the stair case to see two adorable teenage girls standing there. There at the top of the stairs stood Kimi and Dannielle. Both girls looked so cute; Noin and Sally couldn't believe they use to be the deadly Gundam Pilots. Dannielle was dressed in a black denim skirt which reached her knees and a white thin strap t-shirt which helped show off her body. Her creamy legs where covered by black leather boots that gave her another inch. Dannielle's hair was pulled back in to a high pony tail leaving a few strands to frame her face. Kimi on the other hand was dressed in denim shorts with gladiator sandals showing off her tanned legs. She also wore a sky blue thin strap t-shirt which seemed to make her look more gentle than usual. Kimi went for a wild hair style look which made her look untamed and dangerous.

"Never mind." Said Zechs. Dannielle just smiled and turned to the direction they came from.

"Yo! Cat, Tania, Lian let's get a move on!"

"Dannielle, stop rushing." Zechs couldn't help but smirk as Lian's voice filled the air. When Lian came in to view Zechs' mouth dropped.

Noin barely managed not to giggle when she saw Zechs' reaction to Lian. Hm. Interesting. It seemed like her plan was going of pretty much without a hitch. Noin glanced up to the staircase.  
Wow. It looked like Kimi and Danielle didn't have a monopoly on the 'adorable' factor. Cat stood at the base of the staircase, her fitted white and pink T-shirt ending just an half-inch above her faded blue jean skirt. She amped up her height with white platform sandals, and her hair was in those same two Relena- like braids. Definitely 'cute' and girly. Tania was a step below her, looking casually beautiful in slim fitting blue jeans, black flip flops, and a black tank top that bared most of her rather toned midsection. Her auburn hair was parted right down the middle, with her hair tucked behind her ears.  
But Lian... wow... Lian wore dark denim shorts that bared a long, lean amount of legs that ended in plain white sneakers. Her chest was covered in a rather tight red top that only had one sleeve and ended right under her bust. And her body was lithe enough to warrant such exposure. Her hair was left down, kept out of her face by just a simple red head band.  
The Chinese girl tilted her head to the side.  
"Uh... why is everyone staring at us?"  
"Oh, um," Noin shook her head. "Nothing, Lian. It's nothing. So, as soon as we find Ilyana we can all head out, right? Will we have to take separate cars?"  
"Yes, we will need to fit all of us," Ilyana said, walking into the foyer in her sunny yellow sundress. "It will only take about thirty minutes to get to the circus. I think Noin, Zechs, Lian, and Sally should go in one car. I'll take the other four in my SUV. Is that suitable? Okay, it's settled. Let's move out."  
Lian stood on the stairs, mouth a gap. What! She was being forced to sit in a car for thirty minutes with Zechs, Noin, and Sally? That was INJUSTICE! She opened her mouth to start ranting, but Ilyana caught her by the arm.  
"It's either that," the blond woman whispered, "Or you put up with Kimi and Danielle arguing and Cat and Tania making out."  
"Anything is preferable," Lian hissed back.  
Sally laughed and latched onto Lian's arm. "Oh, don't be a spoilsport, Li-li," she laughed, earning a glare from the Chinese girl. Really... even when she changed her name people *still* had to butcher it? Well... at least Li-li was better than Wu-wu or Wuffers or Fei Fei.  
Lian sighed, resigning herself to an annoying half-hour. "Ugh. Why me?"

Ilyana smiled and walked up to Lian. "I can answer that in three words." She gave a wink. "You'd kill them." Damn it, Wufei cursed in her mind. She was right. Lian sighed in defeat and was dragged by Sally to the car.

Sally drove with Noin sitting in the front passenger's seat. Wufei was angry at the fact that the two women had thrown her in the back with Zechs. Wufei leaned her arm on the window and watched as the scenery went by. Wufei watched as the children played soccer in the park, the young teenagers walking the dog and chatting to friends on their phone not noticing the dog almost running off, the older folks going for a quiet walk after the peace we brought for them. Wufei could feel Zechs' eyes on her; it was getting annoying but she let the words from the radio flutter in to her ears to keep her busy.

Zechs couldn't keep his eyes off Lian. She was beautiful; probably the most beautiful person he had ever met. A song came on the radio, one after another. They all seemed to be love songs each one stating something that reminded Zechs of Lian or Wufei. It seemed that the reminisce of the Chang plagued him.

* * *

"So how do you think their doing?" Quatre asked as she leaned on Trowa.

Ilyana giggled. "I'd be surprised if you're the only ones kissing tonight." Quatre blushed as the words escaped her sister's lips. Heero and Duo looked at each other a little confused. Was there something going on in the Winner family that they didn't know about?

"Did we miss something?" Duo asked as she looked around for someone to enlighten herself and Heero.

Trowa gave a small chuckle. "Ilyana, Quatre, Noin and Sally are trying to get Zechs and Wufei together." Trowa seemed as relaxed as she held the blushing Quatre.

Duo paused before exclaiming. "I KNEW IT!" Quatre covered her poor ears. "So that's why everyone is tormenting Fei Fei."

"Duo I wouldn't go as far as to say their tormenting her." Heero stated looking over her shoulder at the hyper active girl. "I'll help if you need any."

"HEE-CHAN!"

Heero sighed. Great Hee-chan is back, Heero thought. "Duo like you don't want them to be together." Duo went to retort but shut up.

Duo slightly turned to Quatre and whispered. "Don't go kissing or you may turn Zechs on." Duo loved to torment poor little Quatre. Quatre continued to go bright red and then turned to Duo and shouted.

"THE ONLY ONE WHO GET'S TURNED ON IS YOU, YOU PERVERT!" Quatre then crossed her arms as the three teenagers laughed at her. "I swear Duo, either your gay or you need to get laid."

Duo gave Quatre a small playful punch. "You love me really." Duo laughed.

"No she loves me." Trowa said and placed a kiss on the sweet – still blushing – blonde girls lips.

Quatre giggled. "Always."

Duo huffed. "I'd rather be with Wufei right now."

* * *

Quatre watched Duo bounce out of the car, Heero trying to keep the violet eyed girl in hand.  
"Y'know," the blond girl whispered up to her partner. "After we get Wufei all nice and taken care of, we have to get Duo and Heero together."  
Emerald eyes blinked. "Duo and Heero?" Trowa watched the two. "Hm. I guess so. Shouldn't be hard. They already *act* like an old married couple."  
Ilyana laughed. "Who knew that my Cat would be such a matchmaker. Huh, it must be the Winner genes!"  
Quatre stuck her tongue out at her older sister.  
"Come on," Trowa grabbed her hand. "Let's go before I lose my nerve."  
Quatre immediately caught on and rubbed a soothing hand along Trowa's arm. "It'll be okay. You'll see." 

* * *

When the car finally stopped, Lian nearly tripled in her haste to get away from the car. The door opened much more easily than she expected, and she went tumbling forward, cringing as she awaited to greet the pavement.  
Only, it didn't happen. Strong arms encircled her. One was around her waist, another gripping her shoulder. She turned to look back at Zechs, who'd apparently dived across the seat to keep Lian from taking the fall.  
Onyx eyes met with pale blue, faces so close that breaths mingled. Zechs hair spilled over his shoulder, draping along Lian's arm. The sensation of the silky strands across her skin sent goose bumps tingling along through the Chinese girl.  
"Um... thank you," she breathed, and extricated herself from his grip as quickly as she could without stumbling.  
Zechs stared after her as she jogged to catch up with Dannielle and Kimi. He blinked, and then sighed sadly before following the girl out of the car, leaving a blinking Sally and Noin behind.

Unbeknownst to them, a pair of emerald and a pair of aqua eyes watched the sweet, tense moment in the car.  
"Aww..." Quatre sighed. "That was so sweet. I was really rooting for a kiss. A kiss would have been so perfect right there."  
"You," Trowa whispered into the girl's ear, "Are a hopeless romantic. And that's what I love about you."

"Hey Li-Li!" Exclaimed Duo as she saw the girl power walk over to her muttering something in Chinese. Duo blinked in confusion as she saw the slight anger and embarrassment on the girls face.

Duo leaned in to Wufei and whispered. "What's wrong Wu-bear?" Duo in return received a hit across the head. The three were joined by the final two as Duo rubbed her head. "Ouch that hurt!" She exclaimed. Wufei only huffed and folded her arms.

Quatre pondered at the meaning but then saw Trowa hide behind her slightly. Quatre turned to look in the direction Trowa was cowering from and saw a tent that Cathy walked into. An idea sprang to Quatre's mind.

"Duo would you come to the bath room with me?" Quatre asked. Duo nodded leaving the three standing there on their own. Trowa walked as her lover and friend left.

"Where are those two going?" Sally asked walking up to them.

"Bathroom," Heero answered.

* * *

"Quatre are you sure about this?" Duo asked after hearing what Quatre had to say.

"Yes of course I am. I just need my best friend for support." Quatre answered.

* * *

Trowa, Heero and Wufei stood slightly away from the others. Trowa could tell that Wufei was still flustered by the car event. Trowa gave a quick glance over to Zechs and saw that he was still confused at the event. Trowa had to admit that by now they were both stubborn. Maybe Quatre and herself should attempt at Duo and Heero. At least they'd be easier... She hopped.

* * *

"What happened back there!" Noin demanded, catching up to Zechs, who looked downright confused.  
"I don't fucking know, Lucrezia!" He snapped. Noin winced. He rarely used her first name. And to use it in that tone of voice... something was wrong. Something was upsetting him. Badly.  
"You were both silent as statues on the way here. Then now this! What is going on with you two? You really like her don't you?"  
"I don't know," Zechs sighed, deflating, the anger leaving him. "I don't know anymore, Lu. I just don't know. I *do* like her. But I can't help but wonder..."  
"Wonder what?" Noin asked, coming up close to him, gripping his hand in hers.  
"I... I can't help but wonder if I like Lian for Lian... or because she reminds me of her brother," he whispered. There, he thought. Finally, it was out in the open. Finally he'd spoken what was truly eating him up inside.  
"Oh, Zechs," Noin murmured, embracing her best friend. "I think that if you have to ask... then you know the answer already."  
"But Wufei hates me," Zechs replied. "And I'm not sure... but I think maybe Lian *wants* to hate me."  
"Meaning?"

"I saw her eyes, Lu. I saw her eyes. There was something there. It wasn't hate. More like acceptance. It was deeper than desire, deeper than lust. But I'm not sure if it was love."  
"Maybe she's fighting it," Noin told him. "Maybe she doesn't want to like you. I think you scare her a little bit. She's lost a lot in this life. More than you'd imagine. The war hurt her as deep as it hurt any of us. Don't give up all hope. Oh, and Zechs?"  
"Hmm?" he was looking towards where Lian stood with Kimi and Tania. Where were the other two? Hmm... Ilyana and Sally didn't look worried, so nothing must be wrong.  
Noin smiled. "Don't give up hope on Wufei, either. Those two are more alike than you think. If Lian can learn to love you... so can Wufei." 

* * *

Ilyana looked at Tania. "Where's my sister?"  
"Bathroom," Kimi stated. "With Dannielle."  
Ilyana paled. "Why does that not sound too good?"  
"Because you can imagine the trouble those two can create when left to their own devices," Lian said.  
"Maybe we should go get Noin and Zechs," Sally said. "It would be best to not leave those two alone too long."

* * *

"Cat you're going to pull my arm out of its socket!" Called Duo being pulled away from everyone else. Quatre turned on her heal and Duo went crashing into her. Both fell to the floor with a bump.  
"Are you two okay?"  
Both looked up. Quatre had to suppress a gasp as she saw Cathy standing there. Quatre and Duo had to stop themselves from calling out the woman's name. Both nodded as Cathy lifted them up.  
"Thanks," said Quatre giving a smile.  
Cathy blinked and looked puzzled at Quatre. "Hey you're a Winner girl, right?" Asked Cathy as she looked at the golden blond hair and ocean blue eyes.  
"Um... Yeah." Quatre gave a smile and gave a curtsy. "I'm Cat Winner. And this is my friend Dannielle."  
Cathy shook her hand. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Cathy Bloom." Cathy looked at the girl sheepishly. "By any chance is Quatre home?"  
Quatre blinked a little and could feel the woman's worry for her brother. "You're looking for Trowa aren't you?" Quatre asked cheekily. "My brother isn't home; he's on a mission. If you want I can send him a message if you like?"  
Cathy blinked in shock that Quatre had deducted that from what she had said. She gave a small nod and a reassuring smile. "That would be great." She gave a giggle. "Wait here a moment." Cathy walked off to a trailer and jumped inside.  
Duo pulled Quatre around to face her. "What are you doing?" Duo snapped.  
Quatre blinked and pulled her arm away from Duo. "What?"  
"You know that it was dangerous to do that!"  
"Yeah and I know how Trowa is feeling! Trowa's in heart ache Duo! And I need to stop him from feeling like that because it's breaking me apart!"  
Duo looked sympathetically at Quatre. Maybe she was right, Trowa maybe one of the strongest out of them; but he still needed his sister just like Quatre needed his. Duo placed an arm around Quatre.  
"Aww Cat, I'm sorry."  
Both then noticed Cathy walk back to them. Quatre smiled at her as she was handed a white envelope. Cathy gave a small bow.  
"Please deliver it to Trowa." Smiled Cathy. "I'm counting on you."  
Quatre nodded and smiled. "I promise only your brother will read the letter." Quatre giggled as Dannielle grabbed her.  
"Come on, Kimi, Tania and Lian must be worrying about us." Dannielle stated. "Good luck in the show."  
"Bye Cathy. See you soon." And with that Cat got pulled away from Cathy.

* * *

Trowa blinked as Quatre came barrelling into her. "Cat?" He questioned. One of Quatre's arms wrapped around his waist. One thing Trowa had noticed lately was that girls could get away with being more 'touchy-feely' with other girls than boys could with other boys.  
Quatre beamed brightly up at him and flashed a white envelope with the name 'Trowa' written on it. She handed it over to her lover.  
"It's from Cathy," he whispered. "As Quatre's sister, she wants me to deliver it to Trowa when I see him."  
"Cat..." Trowa breathed. That had been dangerous. They were supposed to keep *away* from people that knew them. Quatre smiled up at her lover.  
"It's okay. I was careful... mostly, at least."  
"Cat," Trowa sighed, as the once again made their way forward. They were meandering in a loose group through the booths and stalls that spread out from the main tents. A good deal of the vendors and such travelled with the circus, but some were local people who paid a small fee to be allowed to set up there and gain more business. Noin and Sally flanked Zechs, while Heero and Wufei tried to keep Duo under control and in hand. The brunette wanted to look and see everything all at once.  
"Oh!" the girl gasped. "Kimi~! Look. You shoot the ducks and you get a stuffed animal! I want a stuffed animal! Can I try, can I try!"  
Heero cast a look at Noin, who gave a small nod. Heero turned Duo loose, with a whispered warning.  
"Be careful. You're not a pilot anymore. You're a school-girl!"  
"Got it, Kimi-chan!" She chirped, taking up her spot. Credit chips were handed over, and Duo found herself with a rather fake looking rifle, sighting down it's barrel at the row of cardboard ducks just quack-quacking along. Her first shot clipped a duck on the tail, but effectively eliminated it. The second shot hit the next ducks head, and three more following to various duck chests. Heero nodded. It would have looked suspicious if all five shots had been perfect bulls eyes through the head.  
Duo happily took a giant neon green giraffe and bounced back over to Heero.  
And that's when they heard it.  
Laughter. Old, cackling laughter.  
"Well, Esmeralda," a voice called out. "They didn't believe us did they? And now look at this!"  
With a sense of dread, all five boys-turned-girls turned around, dreading what they would see.


	6. Chapter 6

Zechs pondered on why the five girls had gone over to some stand, with two women over there. They had never seemed the type to believe in those things. Something didn't seem right. Zechs turned to Ilyana who was looking around as well.

"Ilyana?" Zechs asked, getting the woman's attention. "Are Cat and her friends spiritual?"

Ilyana gave a small bubbly giggle. "Cat is in a sense that she believes in Empathy and Quatre's Heart of Outer Space." Ilyana placed her hands on her hips casually. "As for the others... No clue."

Zechs sighed, are all Winner's this happy friendly –slightly hyper? Zechs walked over to Noin and Sally who where admiring a small stand of jewellery. Women, thought Zechs, those girls aren't the average teenage girl you see. They don't shop, they act on edge all the time; as if they were soldiers. But that's impossible... Isn't it?

"Noin, Sally!" Zechs called as the women turned and walked over to him.

"Is something wrong?" Asked Noin worrying about her friend.

"Haven't you noticed how odd the girls act in general?" He asked using his old leadership deducting skills. Noin and Sally froze slightly as they heard this. Both could see each other's numerousness' and they didn't like it. Luckily Noin was quick on her toes.

"No girl ever acts normal around someone they just met Zechs. Surely you must know that." Noin gave a small giggle with the statement. If Zechs bought this she must have the Devils luck.

"Fine, but I still feel as if something is going on!" And with that Zechs turned and walked back over to Ilyana. Noin and Sally sighed in relief that the old White Fang leader had bought their lie.

"That was too close." Sally said turning to Noin. Noin nodded.

"I know it seems to get harder and harder to lie to him." She said and looked down at the floor. "I hate it when I lie to him."  
"Don't forget we're doing this for their own good." Said Sally.

Noin nodded. "I know."

* * *

"Oh, no..." Quatre breathed, staring at the two women.  
Duo's eyes went wide. "You!" he gasped, then growled, charging forward. Heero grabbed him by his arms, and Trowa barely managed to restrain Wufei, who also felt like jumping on the two women.  
"Fighting them will solve nothing," Trowa hissed.  
"Just think," Heero whispered. "We need them alive for questioning."  
Duo calmed down, and nodded. Together, the five walked over to the stand outside a small tent where the two women stood, identical save for their eyes and the colour of their clothes.  
"They still haven't learned, Esperanza," Esmeralda sniffed, wrinkling her wrinkled nose.  
"They're young yet, sister dear," the other said. "Come in, younglings. I'd like a chance to see how the future is changing."  
"Pardon?" Quatre questioned.  
"You future, dear," Esmeralda replied. "Surely you five have noticed that the hand of fate is upon you."  
"What the hell did you do to us?" Wufei demanded.  
Esperanza laughed. "We? Do to you? Foolish *girl*. Have you learned nothing yet?"  
"You did this to yourself," Esmeralda chided. "Come, sister. I wish to have nothing more to do with these foolish children."  
Esperanza held up a hand for patience, staring at the young Chinese girl she'd met days before. She looked around the crowds milling about, until her eyes alighted on a tall man with white hair talking with another woman.  
She couldn't help it... she smiled, then laughed. "I see now. You *are* learning, you just don't want to accept it. Let that young man know what you're feeling." She turned to Duo and Heero. "You two haven't even begun to learn yet. Silly children. Grow up a bit and face the facts and see what's staring you in the face." She looked at Trowa, then to Quatre. "You're a special kid, little one. You already have love. And you know it. But there's still a thing or two you could stand to learn. Both of you. Come, Esmeralda. They're not ready yet."  
"That's what I already said," Esmeralda huffed, then ducked into the tent in a swirl of colour and a jingle of beads. Esperanza sent them all one last, small little smile.  
"You'll know how to find us when you're ready. Goodbye for now."  
And then she, too, disappeared.  
Duo growled.  
"Damn enigmatic puzzling old women! They knew what would happen to us! They had something to do with this!"  
"Dannielle," Heero said softly. "You think they somehow *made* you turn that machine on? Or that they made the glass break?"  
"It was our own fault," Trowa said. "What happened... we caused it. But somehow... those two..."  
"They can actually see the future," Quatre decided. "I'd almost forgotten them. But they predicted what would happen. Maybe they actually could see the future."  
"I don't care," Wufei whispered. "I don't *want* to know my future. I wish they'd STOP. I just want things to go back to the way before."  
"I don't understand," Heero frowned. "What haven't we learned? What don't we see?"  
"Love," Quatre answered simply. "That's what it was all about in the first place. Love."

"Cat, I'm telling you now there's no such thing as love." Heero said walked over to the smaller girl.

"Kimi's right Cat." Duo agreed with the ex-perfect soldier.

"Then what is the bond between me and Trowa!" Exclaimed Quatre causing a few people to surround them to stare. "You saying it's just lust?"

"No, Cat," said Duo trying to correct the mistake.

"Then what Duo?" Quatre may not have had a height advantage over anyone in the group but damn could she be intimidating when she wanted to be. "What is it Duo! If it's not love and it's not lust then what is it?" Duo and Heero went silent, Quatre had a good point. "You two really are blind!" It wasn't lust but it couldn't be love. Heero and Duo never believed in love but still... Trowa placed a hand on Quatre's shoulder and stared in to her lover's eyes. No words were spoken but it calmed Quatre down. Heero started to ponder if being in love meant that they calmed each other with no words. Felt safe with each other. Where content and never gave up on each other. Heero was starting to wonder if maybe Quatre was right and they where blind. Maybe Duo and Heero were too prideful to believe in something that was as plain as day.

"You can't force someone into love, and you can't force them to love." Trowa raised his eyes to the three other pilots. "Love is something you can see, but can't see."

Wufei huffed. "And that would mean?"

"You tell me!" Trowa didn't have to state anything but those three words to get them all thinking.

* * *

Catherine's eyes widened and she turned around, hiding on the other side of the thin tent wall. She hadn't meant to eavesdrop. No. Was it really eavesdropping if it was shouted aloud in a public place? She had no idea why they were arguing, but she'd caught that one part. "... there's no such thing as love." "Kimi's right, Cat."  
"Then what is the bond between me and Trowa!"  
Catherine forced her eyes closed, made herself take a deep breath. What was going on? She knew that Trowa spent so much time with that blond boy, Quatre Winner. Though nothing was ever said, Catherine suspected a rather deep romantic relationship between them. So... what then was this with this girl? As scenarios swirled around in her head, only two stuck out. Either Quatre was just acting as a cover for his sister. Unlikely, she thought. Or Trowa was stringing one or both of the Winner children along.  
And that did not set well with her heart. Something was wrong. No, Trowa would not do something like that. Something was wrong here. 

* * *

Trowa took Quatre's hand and left the other three standing there. They didn't head back to the others, but instead ducked into the nearest tent, one Trowa knew should be empty save for various empty boxes.  
And both girl's eyes widened when they saw Catherine standing there, looking confused... and determined.  
"I want to know what's going on," she demanded of the small blond. "You just said... you just said you're in love with my brother? But... what about Quatre. I *know* those two are together. You can't fake or hide that kind of love. I demand to know what's going on!"  
Quatre looked up her taller lover, clearly asking, begging for an answer as to what to do.  
They were cornered. Anything they said or did would have repercussions even after they got back to normal. What would they do?  
Trowa thought for a moment, then smiled and leaned down to kiss Quatre's frown away.  
"It's okay, love," she whispered, ignoring the shell-shocked Cathy for the moment. "We can tell her."  
"But... I thought we decided it would be best if..."  
"Plans change," Trowa interrupted. "Besides. If she knows about us... but they don't know about her knowing... then maybe she could even help us in our quest to get Duo and Heero together."  
"Okay. I know you're right. We can trust her."  
"Um... okay... I'm totally confused right now," the red-haired girl said. "I thought... but..."  
Trowa looked up to Cathy. "Cathy. This is going to sound very odd... but you must believe me. I'm Trowa Barton."  
"And I'm actually Quatre," the blond added.  
"Um... okay... yeah. That does sound odd. And I'm not sure I believe that. I mean... Trowa and Quatre are *guys*."  
"Believe me," Quatre muttered. "We know that."  
"Okay..." Cathy said. "If you are who you say you are... then prove it."

Trowa thought for a bit. Like Sally had done with Wufei, Catherine was now doing with them. It was annoying but they both thought of some ideas. Trowa started to think of the New Year's party that had at the circus after the war and how drunk they got. What ran through Quatre's mind was the time he stayed with Trowa and Cathy attacked him with a frying pan. Quatre probably still had the bump on his head from that event. Then Trowa thought of something that he didn't want Quatre to hear. Trowa walked up to Cathy and whispered in her ear.

"You think Quatre is an angel-looking, suicidal deceiver who wants to take me away from you." Cathy's mouth dropped as Trowa walked back over to Quatre. Cathy now knew that this was Quatre and Trowa. Ages ago Trowa and Cathy had gotten into a fight and she had said what she thought about Quatre. But she did want Trowa to be happy.

There were some good things about the couple. The way Trowa always watches out for Quatre, or the way Quatre follows Trowa around like a love sick puppy. Also the way every time Trowa appeared Quatre would say Trowa's name enthusiastically. Or when ever Quatre got ill from being stressed out and Trowa started to act like a mother hen. Cathy had to admit Quatre had done well in getting Trowa to reveal his real emotions to the world; even if he wasn't fully there yet.

Cathy launched her arms around Trowa's neck. Trowa stumbled a bit but caught his big sister. She wrapped her arms around the older girl as she slightly sobbed. It had been awhile since either had seen each other. Quatre couldn't help but smile at the reunion. Even if Cathy didn't like Quatre, Quatre still respected Cathy and liked her... Even if she did sometimes threaten her... Only the big sister talk caused him to fear her now. It was amusing. The creator of Wing Zero; the deadly Sandrock Gundam Pilot, the almost suicidal rebel soldier, the CEO and now Preventer Agent was afraid of nothing. He had stared down army's and faced death head on but one of the few things that scared him would hopefully one day be his sister-in-law. Quatre sighed mentally, I'm dead!

"Um..." Quatre said. "I hate to interrupt, I really do. But the other's will probably be looking for us."  
"Other's?" Cathy asked.  
"Yeah," Quatre replied. "Heero, Duo and Wufei all got... turned... like me and Trowa. And actually, that reminds me. Could you perhaps help us? Me and Trowa have been trying to get Heero and Duo together? Would you like to try and help?"  
"Heero and Duo? Together? Wait... Heero's the really quite one that was sleeping all the time, right?"  
Trowa nodded.  
"And Duo's the loud annoying one with the braid, right?"  
"Right," Quatre nodded.  
"And you want to get them TOGETHER? Did whatever it was that changed you both mess with your brains too? Are you crazy?"  
"No we're not crazy. They actually have a lot in common and they really care for each other."  
"Hmm. Okay then. Sure, I'll try to help."  
"Thank you. Duo is Dannielle, the one with the ponytail. And Heero is Kimi... the exotic looking brown haired one."  
"Got it. Now you should really get back to them. Oh... and Trowa?"  
"Hmm?"  
Cathy laughed. "I always wanted a sister. Now I have one. And a hot one at that!" With that she left, leaving a confused Trowa and a giggling Quatre behind her. 

* * *

"Where is Tania and Cat?" Zechs asked, walking up to the girls along with Ilyana, Sally and Noin.  
"Um," Dannielle said. "Tania took Cat off to cool down. We kinda got in a little argument. Man, all the Winner kids have a temper when you rile them up."  
"Hm. We really should be taking our seats in the big-top soon," Ilyana said. "The show will start soon."  
"Should we split up to look for them?" Zechs questioned.  
"That won't be necessary," Tania said from behind him. Zechs jumped, startled. Then he frowned. Even in a rather crowded place, no one should have been able to sneak up on him. Surely his reflexes were not that bad? Or was this girl really that silent? What the heck was going on with these girls? Really. Didn't usual girls make enough noise to pinpoint where they were a mile away?  
Dannielle hugged her stuffed toy to her chest.  
"Come on! Let's go watch the show!"  
"Lead on, McDuff," Kimi dead-panned. The other's laughed, but Dannielle stuck out her tongue.  
"Neh. We'll miss the show!"  
"Okay," Noin said, mentally making a note to see what that whole argument was about later on. "We're coming, we're coming."

* * *

Cat bounced around clinging to Tania. Zechs had to admit when he saw the girls earlier it was a sexy sight... He really shouldn't be thinking that Quatre's sister was sexy. Knowing Quatre he'd go all Zero and hand Zechs his ass in more pieces than what made up a Gundam. Zechs then watched as Dannielle bounced down on the seat with Kimi one side of her and Cat the next. If they had an argument shouldn't the girls be separated? Zechs sighed; he'd never understand women. Lian, at the other side of Kimi, caught his eye. Zechs found it amusing that Lian was trying not to lash out at the loud brunette who was chanting for the show to start.

"Zechs, you okay?" Noin whispered to him. Zech nodded to the woman as the lights went out. The crowed gave a cheering sound and clapping started as lively hyper music started to play and a few clowns jumped out from different places. They started running around the place doing their little routine, before doing something incredibly stupid that even made Lian crack a smile.

As the show moved on Trowa was impressed by what his friends and family where doing. Trowa had never played the viewer on a performance before so it was nice for once to see it happen. As soon as the manager redirected the audience's attention to the high rope Trowa saw his lovely sister there. Still wondering what his sister could possibly mean, he enjoyed her. Watching her with her acrobatic techniques that wowed the crowd and even at one point had Quatre hiding her face in fear that something would happen. Trowa looked to see that Quatre was almost having a heart attack watching Cathy's opening routine. Heero and Wufei seemed intrigued while Duo was in a state of awe... Trowa wasn't sure if the girl was even alive any more with how still she kept.

Cathy smiled as she took her bow to the crowd. Then a large dart board came into the light with a young clown stuck to hit. Cathy preferred it when Trowa was there doing THEIR routine instead of another taking his place. Cathy smiled as she knew her brother was watching over her. Cathy threw a knife into the air and caught the blade between her creamy fingers. She lifted her arm. Aim... THROW! The crowd held their breath and gasped as Cathy watched the clown wince in fear of getting hit. But Cathy never failed and bowed as her last knife was thrown. As Cathy went to walk off she saw her brother/sister sitting in the stands with a proud smile on her face. Cathy didn't stop grinning as she blew a kiss towards her and left to return back stage.

After Cathy's exit from the stage, the ringmaster announced the next act. The girl, Maggie according to her introduction, came into the ring on horseback. As the music played, she slowly raised herself into the air. Duo, absorbed in the entire act, oohed and ahhed along with the crowd as the girl performed handstands and other little acrobatics while the horse cantered around the ring.  
"She's good," Quatre commented to Trowa.  
"Almost as good as Cathy."  
"SHHH!" Duo snapped, never breaking his eyes away from the scene. Quatre giggled.  
Zechs looked over at them. Cat was hugged closer to Tania as the girl's tricks turned more daring. Dannielle was on the edge of her seat, enraptured. Kimi was sitting calmly, interested in the scene, but not overly so. She had her fingers twisted in the back of Dannielle's shirt, and that was probably the only reason why the brunette was still in her seat at all. Lian... Lian looked distracted. Hmmm.  
What could have put such a confused, pondering look on that beautiful exotic face? He'd not yet decided whether or not he was interested in Lian... or interested in her just because of her brother. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't deny the attraction to the former Shenlong pilot. Hmm. He would have to find a way to talk to Lian later. He really wanted... no... he really *needed* to figure this whole attraction thing.

* * *

A roar from the crowd rose as the performers took their final bows. Trowa couldn't help but smile at his friends and family. Quatre pulled her out of the tent following everyone else. Quatre watched in amusement how Duo bounced around with the stuffed animal in her arms. Quatre couldn't help but think of Duo as a little girl who just had her first ever teddy bear. Quatre giggled to herself. How did everyone else see her as the most innocent and childlike of the pilots.

Back in the cars everyone got; this time things where quiet. Music softly played throughout the car. Quatre cuddled up close to Trowa trying to get a little sleep before arriving home. Trowa lovingly watched as Quatre's adorable face slept. Duo cuddled the stuffed animal and daydreamed while Heero kept looking in the side mirror to see the day dreaming. Heero gave a small smile at how different Duo looked as a girl. Of course the gorgeous violet eyes and silky long locks where the same but the new looks, like the rosy red cheeks, slim hips, breasts and face would make anyone gawk at the girl. Heero couldn't help but feel content watching the girl daydream. Why was Duo always making him feel this way? Calm, content yet a strange longing feeling. Why was this feeling there? Heero sighed as he watched his reflection in the window. Why did he feel so... so different?

* * *

Zechs watched Lian secretly as she almost fell asleep in the car. It was amusing to see the girl's dark eyes almost close. She seemed peaceful as she relaxed her head against the car window. Her reflection in the window, it didn't matter how Zechs saw her she was one of the most beautiful girls he had ever seen. He smiled as he saw the eyes finally give up and close. Zechs listened to the man speaking on the radio. He said something... a name of a song.

A couple of seconds later a loud rock band came on scaring the hell out of everyone in the car. Sally slammed her hand down on the dial and shut the damn thing off. Noin tried not to hit the brakes letting the cars go smashing in to them. Zechs held his heart as he felt as if he was back on the battle field. Lian growled as the stupid rock band had disturbed him. Lian leaned back against the chair and rubbed his eyes.

"Stupid radio." She muttered. Zechs couldn't help but find that amusing.

"You find that funny?" Lian asked arched as Zechs accidentally let out a half little chuckle.  
"You act *just* like your brother, you know?" Zechs asked with a smile. Lian rolled her eyes at that, then closed them.  
"I'm just so damn tired," she whispered. "Too much is going on lately. I find it hard to sleep."  
"And loud music and an uncomfortable car seat don't help much when you find time for a nap, huh?"  
She snorted. "Yeah. Exactly."  
Another few minutes, and she was drifting off again. This time the music didn't wake her, and she fell off into a restless slumber. In her sleep, she tossed and turned against the uncomfortable car seat.  
Finally, Zechs could take it no more. He gently took her shoulder and shifted her until she was laying down in the seat, her head pillowed against his thigh.  
"Hmm.. huh, wha..." She awoke, groggy.  
"Shhh... just sleep," he said, and was surprised when she did just that. She must be more tired than anyone realized, Zechs thought as she rested back against him and dropped off again.  
Zechs couldn't help it. Maybe sleep was contagious? Because the next thing he knew... his eyes were drifting closed. 

* * *

*snick*

*click*

Zechs blinked back awake to the sound of giggling and something else.  
"That is so adorable," someone whispered. Cat?  
"Too cute for words!" someone else agreed. Dannielle?  
Zechs opened his eyes. Across the front seat, four females were all lined up, cooing at him. Kimi, Ilyana, and Tania were waiting patiently outside the car... but Sally, Noin, Cat, and Dannielle were all four lined up, looking over the front seat at him. And Cat and Noin had cameras!  
It was then he realized where he was and what was happening. He was sitting up in the car... with Lian practically draped across his lap, snuggling against him in her sleep. His own hand... of its own accord, had been stroking her hair, and down her arm.  
He froze completely still...  
And then she woke up...

* * *

Wufei blinked as she saw and heard females and their giggles. Wufei sat up noticing that she had been leaning against Zechs... Sleeping on him was more the phrase. Wufei's cheeks tinted slightly with the blush. Wufei then blinked a few times registering the camera's held by Quatre and Duo. Wufei's face went red. Not a sweet little blush that she would get from time to time; but the anger red that made Quatre and Duo quiver with fear as the adrenalin rushed through them.

"CAT! DANNIELLE! OMAE O KOROSU!" Wufei yelled as all three teenagers leapt out of the car running after each other. One lucky thing about Quatre was she was quick at strategies to escape Wufei's wrath and Duo's stealth like abilities helped her merge with the shadows. Trowa and Heero sighed as they saw the most opened and loudest of their team jump around dodging each other as if they where lasers and they were back on the battle field.

Zechs blinked as he watched the three girls jump around as he got out of the car. Zechs walked over to the remaining girls and looked at them. "Are they always like this?" Tania and Kimi only nodded in reply. Zechs turned back to the battling girls. Lian was now shouting insults at Dannielle who was covering Cat as if to protect the young girl. Wow swap Cat and Lian for their brothers and put Duo in place of Dannielle, and you have a Preventers training fight.

"They remind me of Quatre, Wufei and Duo."

Trowa, Noin, Sally, Ilyana and Heero froze as they heard those words leave Zechs' mouth. Had he figured out? Not likely but still. Crap if he has. All watched as Zechs just shrugged and walked over to the house. Everyone silently sighed as they saw Duo run into the house followed closely by Wufei and Quatre calling them to stop it. They sighed once again before going to stop the girls.

* * *

"I'm gonna kill you!" Lian repeated, dodging around the kitchen door.  
"Gotta catch me first, Li-li!" was Dannielle's lilting reply as she ducked out the side door and leaped from the porch to the ground, some five feet below.  
Zechs, curious, was following them. Mostly to make sure Lian didn't actually hurt the other girl. He stepped onto the porch a moment behind Lian, just in time to see Dannielle make her daring leap. His heart lurched up, knowing how far the ground was. He didn't have time to say anything before Lian, too, hopped over the railing and into the garden below. Zechs dashed forward, hitting the rail and leaning over to see Lian hit the ground, ducking into a crouch to absorb the motion, and then taking off again after Dannielle, who was already darting around plants and flowers and fountains.  
"What the hell is with those girls?" Zechs demanded of the evening sky.  
"They're teenagers." Zechs almost jumped, not having expected a reply. The little blond haired Cat was standing beside him, leaning against the rail comfortably.  
"I have a teenage sister," Zechs said. "She most certainly does not act like you five."  
"We're close friends. Can your sister say that? None of us have led exactly pleasant lives."  
"Neither has Relena. Our parents died when she was a baby. She held her adopted father as he died. Do you realize how many people have tried to kill her?"  
"Do you realize how many people have tried to kill me?" Cat asked. "My name alone makes me a target. There's a difference between your sister and me... and any of us. Attitude, as Dannielle would say. It's all how you accept things."  
"Cat, Zechs," Noin called, stepping onto the porch. "Mischa has supper ready for all of us. Should I send Kimi to find the other two?"  
Cat nodded. "She's the only one who can separate them when they're like that."  
"Okay then," Noin said. "Dinner's in five, then."

Noin left Cat and Zechs standing on the balcony. Zechs had a few questions he wanted to ask the little blond.

"How did you guys meet?" Zechs asked as he saw Dannielle leap over flowerbed as if it were a stone. Cat only smiled as she watched her friends do the dance she had seen many times over the years.

"During the war. About the time when movement was free for all colonists." Cat stated as she leaned over the bar to see Lian try to kick Dannielle only for them to fail. "I met Tania first and then sort of met the others in a misunderstanding time."

"Might I ask was this before or after your father's murder?" Quatre noticed that Zechs used the word murder instead of execution like many people did. "Your father shouldn't have died for what he believed in. I know the feeling you, Quatre and your sisters feel. I lost my father the same way." Zechs sighed. Quatre gave a melancholy smile.

"I never thought about you losing your parents." Quatre thought about it. Zechs lust for revenge must have been greater than hers by far but Quatre had gone too far in getting her revenge and not in the right way either. "I don't mind talking about my father. Even if we didn't see eye to eye." Zechs watched the small girls face glow. "I'm proud." She turned to Zechs with a look the revealed the Winner determination. "My friends always help me out. And they will get me through anything. No matter what happens."

Zechs could only smile at the girl. He turned back to where Kimi was pulling Lian and Dannielle away from each other. "Well I think you'll be friends for a long time." Thought Zechs.

Quatre smiled as Zechs left the porch. He had the feeling that Zechs was really *different* than he'd always thought. Things he saw now... he'd never seen before. Of course, they were plain to see... he'd just never taken the chance to *look*. Zechs was really no different than any of them, and Quatre made a firm vow that no matter what happened later on... he was going to do his best to bring and keep Zechs into their folds.  
"You're thinking about something," Trowa's voice whispered. The taller girl had walked silently over, bracing against the railing and leaning just slightly towards the small blond.  
"Always," Quatre replied. "I'll explain later, love. Right now.. I really think we should go eat supper. I'm famished." The blond pushed off from the railing, adding a small sway to her hips as she walked away. She abruptly jumped and glared at the other girl. "*Tania*," she hissed, trying not to smile. "Did you just pinch my butt?"  
"Who? Me?" Trowa asked innocently. "Now... why would I do such a thing?"  
Quatre pursed her lips and turned back around to go back in.  
But not before she felt another pinch on her rear and heard Trowa's gusty laughter echoing around the evening sky.

* * *

Kimi, Tania and Cat had separated Dannielle and Lian at supper. Luckily! Ilyana watched how the girls went off talking with a little laughter in their strides. She was proud of her little sister/brother for what she had done. At lunch Cat had sent subtle hints towards Lian stating clearly to Ilyana that Zechs liked Lian. It was obvious. Now all they had to do was think of a plan. But how to get two stubborn couples together.

* * *

Quatre, Trowa and Duo laid on the sofa in front of the fire just talking for a little to pass the time. It was too early to go to bed, but too late to start anything. Talking and reading – in the case of Trowa and Wufei – seemed to be the only thing to keep them occupied. Quatre and Duo had somehow got on to a conversation encircling Heero's obsession with his laptop. Duo had called Heero a work aholic and teased the dark haired beauty about it, but all Duo received where grunts from the ex-perfect soldier. Quatre couldn't help but notice the slight flirt hints that came from Duo. Quatre squeezed her hands against her cloths after every time she noticed one. One by one people started to leave the room until only Quatre and Trowa where left. Trowa placed the book marker in place after feeling the need to talk coming from Quatre. Trowa placed the book on the small coffee table and turned to Quatre. Trowa gave Quatre a small kiss before asking the questions.

"So what are you thinking of lately?"

Quatre smiled cheekily as ideas flowed inside her hair. "Just thinking at how the others might just become couples before we're back to normal." Quatre giggled and placed a kiss on Trowa's lips. "And how we're gonna have to keep Zechs close even after we're back to normal."

Trowa didn't understand what Quatre meant by that statement but before she could answer, Ilyana walked into the room. The young woman smiled sweetly at the two girls.

"Not too long now." She blew a kiss over to her sister. "Good night little ones." She turned and left but looked over her shoulder. "Oh and don't get too hot tonight." A giggle arose from Ilyana as Quatre's face turned red and Trowa turned away. Quatre hid her face in Trowa's arm and stayed there for a little while in hailing Trowa's smell.

"Love you Trowa."

"Love you too. Mon petit Quatre."

* * *

Wufei stood under the stinging hot spray of water. She really liked the bathrooms in this place. The showers were so nice and big and roomy. She wasn't cramped up like in her own little apartment back on Earth. Water sluiced down her body as she wiped around her face with a wash cloth before re-soaping it, and for the first time since the 'accident', she really looked down at herself. She considered her body, thinking. What if Miranda couldn't find a way to reverse this? What if she was stuck like this for good? Could she ever be happy in this body?  
She took the soapy cloth and ran it down her arms. They really weren't all that different from her old arms. A bit thinner, maybe not as muscular... but that problem could be easily fixed with the right kata's and a few weight-lifting exercises. As the soap ran off of her, she let the cloth roam. The column of her neck was thinner, a bit longer... more elegant. Her collarbone more pronounced, with the distinct lack of her once prominent Adam's apple. Nothing she could do about that, she decided. But the changes were minimal and she could deal with them. She knew the flush on her face wasn't *just* from the scorching water as she let the cloth drift downwards and wash one... er, two... of the more... noticeable... differences. The chest was something that took more getting used to. They were a nuisance. But, thanks to some of Sally's oh-so-helpful advice, she'd realized that bras did come in handy in controlling their level of nuisance.  
Wufei washed her abs, noticing that her 'six pack' had diminished. Another side-effect of this damnable plushy body. Her waist was slender, well formed, but her abdomen was smooth and flat. But exercise could probably fix those muscles, too, she thought. She started in on her feet, moving up her calves. Thinner, but still well-developed and firm. Probably not much she could do there, either. They were about as good as they were going to get. Over her knees, and washing her thighs. Exercise might be able to help there, too. They were firm, strong... but they could be stronger, she reasoned. She deliberately let her mind fall blank as she washed the rest of herself. Some things she just didn't want to think about right now. Like... what if she was forced to stay this way. Would she ever dare venture as far as wanting children? Probably not... but that possibility was there none-the-less.  
Would they tell everyone about them... or cement their now familiar aliases. Become totally different people. What would happen to the Gundam Pilots if they did that? They would leave friends, family, co-workers behind without a word, having disappeared without a trace.  
Wufei frowned as she grabbed a towel, and exited the shower as she turned it off. And what about love? Of course, Quatre and Trowa would have no problem. They never seemed to have a problem about anything. They almost seemed *too* perfect to Wufei, sometimes. It almost made him want to gag. They had someone to love. Someone to cherish, and to cherish them in return. Would Wufei ever get the chance to find that kind of blissful happiness?  
And just as importantly... would 'Lian'?  
She shrugged into a sickeningly pink nightgown- having decided that if you couldn't beat them, join them. Besides... it wasn't as if anyone were going to see her in her night dress anyway, right?  
And then... someone knocked on her bedroom door.

* * *

Duo sat in Heero's room waiting for the boy/girl to come out of the shower. Duo just sat with the small brush running through the bottom of her hair. Duo had gained a strange habit since being turned into a girl of always combing her hair. Duo struggled to get a knot out of her hair. She sighed as the bathroom door opened. Duo looked up to see Heero stepping out of the bathroom. Duo's mouth dropped. Heero's body was surrounded by steam as water dripped down from different parts of the body. Her hair cascaded over her shoulders, droplets of water fell on to the light blue t-shirt with a grey teddy bear hugging a white and blue stripped pillow. Heero's legs were clad in shorts – although Duo thought they were boxers – showing off Heero's long sleek legs. Duo felt obsessed with the appearance of the girl standing there.

Heero rolled her eyes and walked over to Duo on the bed that seemed to be dreamed. Heero took the brush off the girl which seemed to knock her back into reality. Duo turned slightly only to have her hair pulled from her hands and her body turned to look the other way. Duo didn't say anything as Heero started to brush the chestnut brown locks. Duo felt relaxed knowing that Heero was there, and it was comforting to not have to worry about tangled hair. Heero found it comforting as well.

"It's been a while since you did this for me," Duo said as she crossed her legs.

Heero nodded. "Yes it has." No other words needed to be said to each other for they knew they were content with each other's silence.

* * *

Zechs didn't know what to expect when the door opened. But this most certainly wasn't it. Lian was glaring, her golden skin still glowing with the heat of the shower. Her black hair was hanging down in damp arrow straight locks. And she was wearing a short, short baby pink silk nightgown with spaghetti straps and white lace edging. Zechs swallowed.  
He still had no idea *why* he liked Lian. But damn it... he knew he did like her.  
And she was beautiful.  
She blinked at him, flustered for a moment.  
"Zechs," she said. "Wh... What do you want?" Almost self consciously it seemed, she crossed her arms across her chest, as if modest... or frightened.  
He'd never seen that look of almost fear in her eyes. Of course the fear was overshadowed by annoyance and curiosity and a million other things. But that fear was there.  
Zechs had no doubt that Lian could fight him off. He was strong. He was powerful. But so was she. He'd seen the muscles rippling under the glowing skin yesterday, seen the talented moves that seemed so graceful and elegant. So... what was she frightened of? She wasn't overly modest. She had to know he was no match for her physically. So... why?  
Zechs took a step forward, into the room. Surprisingly, Lian matched his step, keeping the distance between them as he forced her to retreat.  
"Why are you so scared of me?" He asked softly.  
Lian's eyes hardened, but Zechs had caught that brief flicker of fear, of surprise, of confusion.  
"As Dannielle would say... you're a big scary guy. Why wouldn't I be afraid?"  
She didn't try to deny it, he noticed. He'd expected her to vehemently deny it. But she didn't. So... she really was afraid. But not for the reason she said. He took another step forward... and she took another step back. Again... and again. Until her back bumped against the bed, cutting off her retreat. Fear flared in her eyes when she realized she was trapped.  
"I don't buy that, Chang Lian. I don't know why... but you're lying. There is something going on here. I have absolutely no clue what it is... but rest assured that I'm going to find out."  
"Why do I interest you," she whispered, onyx eyes meeting gray. "Why?"  
Zechs shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "But you do. And I'm going to find that out as well." He leaned down, and briefly, ever so briefly, touched his lips to hers. She stiffened and leaned back. Her eyes were glittering with unknown emotions... and fear. Yes, still those fear. Zechs leaned forward once more, kissing her again... and then he left.  
Lian closed her eyes, taking a steadying breath, and felt her knees give out. She sank to the edge of the bed. Of course he didn't know... but she was afraid.  
Not of him, like he suspected. She was afraid of herself.  
She was afraid... of wanting.  
Of loving.

* * *

Quatre sat up from bed. She blinked as she could feel the emotions of Zechs and Wufei. Wufei seemed fearful of something yet... almost admiring... No! It wasn't admiring, it was a crush; yet more than a crush but not quite love. Then with Zechs he was confused yet wanting someone. Not in a lusting way more of a wanting an answer way. Quatre listened as she heard footsteps outside her door however they carried on going. Trowa's arm that was wrapped around Quatre's waist shifted and tightened. Trowa sat up kissing the girls bare shoulder.

"Is something wrong love?" She asked still kissing Quatre.

Quatre moaned and leaned into Trowa. "Wufei and Zechs... Something... Wanting each other." Trowa wanted to tease Quatre further and started to bite on the pulse point on her neck causing her to squeak.

"Duo and Heero?"

Quatre moaned. "Content..." Quatre caught on to Trowa's little teasing as Trowa's arms slowly moved around Quatre's body. "Trowa... Stop!" Trowa would not listen to the boy-turned-girl and continued to tease the poor blonde.

* * *

Duo cuddled closer to Heero as they both started to slip off into a sleepy state. Duo wondered why she had found Heero attractive earlier. Yeah Heero was attractive anyway, but Duo had never thought about Heero in that way had he? Duo laughed to herself in her head... Sometimes she had wondered, but usually it was after a comment Trowa and Quatre use to make about them. How they were practically a couple anyway. Could those comments have somehow pushed Duo's feelings forward? Or where they just Duo wanting to have some attention? (Not that she needed any) Duo looked up to see Heero's face shining in the darkness. Her features so soft. Almost kissable; but Duo would never do that, even if Heero was asleep. Duo sighed as she felt she was lusting over Heero. But was he? Or maybe developing feelings like Quatre's feelings for Trowa. Duo sighed softly as Heero's arms seemed to grip Duo closer. Duo didn't mind any more. Just being with Heero was enough to make Duo happy.

* * *

Duo woke up. That in itself was unusual enough. Waking up on her own, without any outside influence. Since the end of the war, she'd taken to the habit of getting any and all sleep she could. Of course, if she felt herself in actual danger, she'd be awake in a heartbeat or less. But surrounded by her friends... there was no danger. She looked over her shoulder. Surrounded by Heero, there was certainly no danger.

She checked the clock. It was still early in the morning. The sun wasn't even up yet, and wouldn't be for a few more hours yet. Duo grunted softly and closed her eyes again, trying to fall back asleep.

After fifteen minutes of no such luck, she softly extricated herself from the bed. It would have been hard for anyone else to do that without waking the perfect soldier. But she was the God of Death. Er... maybe it was the *Goddess* of death now.

She had no problem slipping from bed, then from the room.

Without conscious thought, she found herself in the Library. She turned on a few lamps, amusing herself with one, a touch lamp that flicked on and off with the touch of her finger against any part, for a moment. Then, she turned back to the books. Hundreds upon hundreds of books. She ran a finger along their spines, walking down this shelf and that one. Then, she noticed the titles. They varied, and now... they were encyclopaedias. Ah.

Merriam Webster's Unabridged Dictionary dated AC 190.

Duo lifted the enormous tome from the shelf, heaving it down as quietly as possible onto the nearest little table. She gently opened it. Past the 'A's. And eventually, into the L's without ever knowing what she was looking for. LaGrange. Leer. Limerick. All words starting with 'L'. And eventually... she found herself staring at a word she hadn't known she was searching for.

Love.

Pronunciation: \ˈəv\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English lufu; akin to Old High German luba love, Old English lēof dear, Latin lubēre, libēre to please

Date: before 12th century

So Love was an old word. Timeless, maybe. What did it mean?

There were numerous definitions, apparently. Duo read further.

1 a (1) : strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties; maternal love for a child (2) : attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3) : affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests; love for his old schoolmates b : an assurance of love give her my love

Odd. With that definition... Duo loved several people. Quatre, Trowa, Wufei. He had affection for all of them based on admiration and common interests. And personal ties.. But did that mean he loved Heero? Like... the way Quatre loved Trowa? Was there really attraction based on sexual desire?

2 : warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion; love of the sea

3 a : the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration; baseball was his first love b (1) : a beloved person : darling —often used as a term of endearment (2) British —used as an informal term of address

4 a : unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1) : the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2) : brotherly concern for others b : a person's adoration of God

5 : a god or personification of love

6 : an amorous episode : love affair

7 : the sexual embrace : copulation

Duo's head was swimming. So many definitions for one word. According to a lot of these... he loved Heero: warm attachment. Devotion. Unselfish concern. But... a book was telling him he was in love. When he himself didn't believe in it. So if so many people believed this book. If Quatre and Trowa claimed to believe it. What was the truth? Maybe... Maybe love was all of this... and more. Maybe... maybe Love wasn't something that could be defined so accurately. Maybe... what was it Trowa had said? Oh, Gods... Duo's head was beginning to hurt with all the things tumbling around in it.

Duo sat down... and never even noticed when she fell back asleep.

* * *

Heero slowly awoke to find that something felt strange, something out of place. Heero rolled over expecting to have Duo out could cuddle up to her. But when Heero saw that Duo wasn't there, he knew that that was what was wrong. Heero rose from the bed and walked out to find where Duo had gone to. She wasn't in the bathroom. Not in the living room or dining room – like she had expected – the kitchen was empty too. Heero now found this peculiar. Where on earth would Duo be? Heero went on a whim and checked the library.

Lucky guess, thought Heero, as she saw the look lying on the couch sleeping. Heero walked over to the young girl lying down and saw a book lying across the girl's chest. Heero removed the book from Duo's feather like grip and looked at the book. Shrugging it off, he walked over to the desk and placed it next to an open book. Carefully Heero looked at the open books cover page. The title read: Merriam Webster's Unabridged Dictionary. Heero pondered on why this early in the morning Duo would be reading it. Heero shrugged and looked at the page Duo had been looking at. The word that's meaning seemed to fill up the whole page and catch Heero's attention was; LOVE! Why love? Why that word of all words?

"Love is something that you can see, but can't see." Trowa's words ran through Heero's head. Was this the reason why Duo was reading this? Or was Duo just trying to find a way to prove to the others that love didn't exist? Love can be mistaken for lust and no one ever loves who they think they do! Noin and Zechs proved that... But Trowa and Quatre defied that point. Was he may be thinking about this way too much? Heero hopped he was.

* * *

Quatre woke up feeling great after the night before. Quatre turned to see Trowa stretching and looking for the creamy fully awake body. Quatre giggled and kissed Trowa's lips. Both giggled.

"What a wakeup call!" Trowa wrapped her arms around Quatre's body and kissed the soft red lips again. "How are you and everyone?" Quatre giggled and rubbed their noses together.

"I'm fine now that you're up." Quatre giggled. "Everyone who's up is just fine." Quatre kissed Trowa's lips again. "Don't worry your pretty little head."

"I will if you will."

Quatre laughed. "Never going to happen."

"I know. You never stop caring." Trowa captured Quatre's lips in a heated kiss. "That's why I love you."

For the second time that day... Duo awoke with no outside interference. Or so she thought. It took her a few moments to realize her surroundings. She was in the library. Oh... of course. Yeah. The dictionary. She moved to sit up from where she'd fallen down on the couch, but found she couldn't. Her feet were numb.

Oh...

Aww... Duo barely resisted the urge to coo at the sight. Heero was laying there in her little blue T-shirt and boxer shorts... laying there right across Duo's feet, with her head pillowed against the couch arm. Duo felt the smile light up her face as she quietly tried to extricate her legs from where they were tangled with Heero's.  
And it was in that moment that it hit her.  
She didn't care if love existed or not; it didn't matter. She didn't care what it was called or why it was. 'Love' was just a word for something. It had a definition. What she felt for Heero... well, that had no definition. And she wasn't really eager to find a definition for it. It just was. And for Duo... that's what made it special.  
Love is something you can see, but can't see.  
Duo smiled. She still wasn't quite sure what that meant... but she didn't really care. She didn't need riddles or dictionaries to tell her what she was feeling. She didn't need old women with cryptic messages. Did it really matter if it had a name or not? If she knew she felt it?  
Having solved her quota of soul-searching problems, Duo smiled, dropped a kiss to Heero's forehead, and bounced out of the library. All she had to do now... was wait for Heero to come to some kind of conclusion for himself. 

* * *

Trowa blinked at the sudden confusion and obvious elation of Quatre as she dropped her hairbrush to the floor.

"Quatre?"

Quatre grinned brightly back. "It's Duo," she said. "Duo is very, very, very happy about something."  
Trowa frowned. "Y'know... that's not always a *good* thing," the former Heavy Arms pilot pointed out.  
Quatre smiled, and moved across the room to where Trowa was pulling on a T-shirt. She leaned up and pulled Trowa down for a searing kiss.  
"This is a very, very different kind of happy," Quatre breathed against her lover's lips. "A... content, loving kind of happy. I think... I think maybe Duo's learned something very important. A very important life lesson."  
Trowa looking into aqua eyes.  
"Duo's in love?"  
Quatre smiled. "Duo's always been in love. But he was in denial before. I think... I think maybe he's finally accepted it."

* * *

Wufei woke up feeling different... wrong even. After the events with Zechs last night Wufei didn't feel right at all. As if something was missing; like Zechs had taken apart of him and wouldn't give it back. Wufei sighed before lying back on the bed not wanting to get up and face Zechs. Wufei sighed; he hadn't felt like this since after the coupe with Mariamaia. That feeling of wishing not to get up. To stay in the darkness and do nothing.

"Wufei time to get up!" Duo shouted while banging on the door. Wufei groaned, he did not want to deal with a hyperactive Duo as well.

"Shit," Wufei cursed. "Quatre's gonna know."


	7. Chapter 7

Quatre bounced down the last set of stairs leaving Trowa to call Wufei for the second time. Quatre looked around and saw that Duo was nowhere. Quatre walked with a bounce in her step over to the living room only to look out the window and see Duo standing there. Quatre sighed, no playing tricks on Duo this morning. He giggled and made his way outside. There Duo was stretching and smiling to herself.

"Wow, this is new."

Duo turned and saw Quatre giggling to herself. Duo knew for a fact that Quatre knew what was going on. Quatre bounced over to Duo and gave Duo a hug.

"I knew you'd find out in the end!" Exclaimed Quatre. Duo laughed as the blonde clung to her. "I just knew it."

Duo laughed. "Calm down Cat." Duo tried to release herself from the girls grip. "I'm not there yet."

"Yeah but still," Quatre chirped.

Duo smiled up at the happy, bubbling blond. "But still," Duo agreed, knowing what each other meant. That was one of the perks of a long-enduring friendship. They knew what each other meant without actual words to express it. Duo was finally on the right track. And had made a huge leap of faith in finally accepting what he felt, even if he didn't put a name to it. But accepting and doing something about it were two very different things. There was still a lot left for Duo to figure out, but at least he'd started.  
Duo blinked as Quatre's smile turned to a frown. The blond looked over her shoulder, back inside the house.  
"Duo," she asked quietly. "Have you seen Wufei this morning?"  
"Hm. No. I knocked... er... *banged* on the door, but I left as soon as I saw tall and bendy coming down the hall."  
Quatre rolled her eyes. She'd never understand why Duo insisted on calling Trowa 'tall and bendy'. He was, on both accounts... but still. "Something's wrong," Quatre said, standing up. "Well, maybe not *wrong* exactly... but definitely not right. And it's got something to do with Wufei." Steeling herself, she marched on into the house. 

* * *

Trowa took one look in Wufei's black eyes when the Chinese girl opened the door, and pushed the girl back inside the room before shutting the door.  
"Spill," he demanded.  
"I don't know what you're talking about, Barton," Wufei hissed back.  
"Don't give me that crap, Chang. What the hell happened? You look like... like you did when I first started with Preventers," he finished with a whisper. Wufei sighed, and fell backwards on the bed.  
"That's how I feel," the dark haired girl admitted. "I really don't want to walk out that door."  
"The mighty Chang Wufei is *scared*?" Trowa asked incredulously, looking at the blatant fear and loathing in those onyx eyes.  
"Damn right I am," Wufei muttered. "He... Trowa... he *kissed* me."  
"He *what*?" the former Heavyarms pilot demanded? And then Quatre burst into the room.  
"What's going on!"

Wufei and Trowa jumped backwards as the blonde burst into the room. How on earth could the weakest pilot scare two of the strongest? Forget Wufei being scared when Trowa was in here; he was petrified now that Quatre was here.

"Calm down Quat, every things fine." Trowa said walking over to the blond. Quatre closed the door and walked right up to Wufei. Wufei couldn't help but be slightly imitated by the blond.

"Why are you so scared!" Quatre didn't ask the question. He demanded it causing Wufei to cringe. Wufei did nothing but look away from the blonde.

"I..."

* * *

Duo walked in to the dining room and saw Zechs and Heero at the table. Duo could tell how uneasy Heero was being around Zechs and found it amusing. Duo bounced into the room calling out good mornings to the almost awake pair. Duo sat next to Heero and started fiddling around with random things. Duo then noticed that Zechs seemed to be dazed as if something was on his mind. Knowing Quatre she already knew what was on Zechs' mind. Sometimes Duo wished he was an empath so he could tell what others think anyway.

"Morning people," smiled Ilyana walking into the room.

"Morning!" Duo exclaimed causing Heero to cover her ears. Ilyana blinked in surprise seeing the hyperactive teenage girl up already. Ilyana smiled.

"Looks like Cat isn't going to have her fun this morning." Ilyana then sat down at the end of the table. "Where's everyone else?"

"Cat went to go find Lian and Tania." Duo spoke softly calming down. Heero didn't miss the cringe Zechs gave when the word 'Lian' was mentioned. Obviously something has happened.

* * *

Quatre stared at Wufei. He didn't mean to scare Wufei so much more, but he really wanted... no... *needed* to know what Wufei was scared of. How could he protect his friends from things if he didn't know what they were. He'd always felt he'd been given his empathy for a reason. What better reason than taking care of those he loved?  
"Wufei," Quatre said, voice drifting softer as the other former pilot stuttered. "What's wrong? I can't help if I don't know what's the matter. You're frightening me, Wufei. I need to know."  
"Zechs..." Wufei said quietly, not meeting the blonde's eyes. "He... Last night he... he kissed me."  
Quatre blinked. Once. Then twice.  
"He *kissed* you?"  
Wufei nodded miserably.  
"And you're scared because..." Quatre prompted. Surely Wufei didn't think Zechs would force his affections upon someone? Even Quatre couldn't think the 'lightning count' would do that.  
Quatre observed Wufei, the soft and faint blush across the bronze cheeks. The way Wufei still refused to meet his eyes.  
"You liked it." Quatre stated. Not a question.  
Wufei didn't move.  
"You're scared because you liked him kissing you," Cat concluded. "And you want him to do it again and you have no idea what you're getting yourself into."  
"What..." Wufei asked softly. "What does he mean by this. I don't want him to like *Lian*. I don't want him kissing her. She's a fake. A phony. She's nothing more than a dead girl's name. I don't want him liking her," he spat.  
Quatre's eyes widened as the new thought occurred to them all. "You want him to like Wufei," Quatre said. "You want him to like *you*."  
"Exactly," Wufei said. "So how can I go down there and face him. When I want and don't want the exact same thing at the exact same time. Why do I even want him in the first place? Quatre... help me. I'm so... lost."

Without the three in the room ever knowing it, a figure slipped silently away from the door where it had been eavesdropping. Down the hall, away from the three boys-turned-girls.

* * *

Quatre had never seen Wufei like this before. Wufei was always strong, assertive, and just. Seeing him like this made him see that Wufei was just human like the rest of them. Sure some times he could be a sexist bastard with a bad temper but he was this kind and caring guy who cared for his friends and did have feelings. Maybe because of the way he was brought up was the reason he became this big ego guy, but maybe that feeling of not having anyone there after his home was destroyed made him bottle things up like showing kindness and clouded his judgement sometimes. But with his wife Meiran- had he really loved her? When he lost her the most he did was placed her in the field of flowers she longed to protect and named Shenlong after her. What if Wufei loved Zechs? If he did then wouldn't he proclaim it? Well Quatre had expected Wufei to be stubborn about his affection for Zechs, but he was completely the opposite.

Quatre sat down next to Wufei on the bed and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Wufei I'm sorry but there's not much even I can do." Quatre said feeling the slight disappointment coming from Wufei. Quatre hated to let his friends down. "But I'll do what I can."

Wufei nodded and wrapped his arms around Quatre's shoulders. "You're a good kid Cat. Thank you." Quatre flung at Wufei.

"Aww Wufei you're a big softy after all." Quatre giggled. Wufei gave a small chuckle.  
"Just don't tell Duo."

"Done."

* * *

Duo didn't stop talking to Ilyana about random things. Heero and Zechs preferred silence to the teen's constant talking. Heero discreetly kept his eyes on Zechs. Since the mention of Lian, Zechs seemed to be different. As if pondering something. Heero then heard someone coming down the stairs and into the dining room. Duo turned as well and saw the people coming into the room.

"So you guys decided to come down here. Good cause I was starting to think you were vampires." All Duo received for that comment was a slap to the head.

"Baka," Heero chided.  
Duo did nothing but chuckle as Quatre and Trowa took their usual seats and a very... meek?... looking Wufei settled down beside Zechs, keeping as far from the man as possible, given their close seats. Heero observed the two. Zechs had literally frozen for a moment when Lian had entered the room, a flash of panic crossing across the cool gray eyes. And Wufei... Wufei was different. Oh, certainly there was still an air of strength around the former pilot... but gone was the confidence that usually rivalled the strength. Hn. If Heero didn't know any better, he'd say Wufei was scared, and that Zechs looked almost guilty. Had Zechs done something to frighten Wufei? Heero stiffened up at the thought. Girl or not girl, vow or no vow, Heero would personally kill Zechs Marquis. And he wouldn't be coming back from the dead this time, either. Heero'd had a long time to think over things the past few years. And he long ago comes to the conclusion that his friends were his family. And protecting family was about the most important thing Heero could think of now that the wars were over. A proclaimed 'perfect soldier', Heero'd been lost with the absence of fighting. It had been Duo and the other's who'd given him a reason for life. Now that they had peace, Heero would protect that peace. Whether it be on massive scales, like his work with Preventers. Or whether it be smaller, and perhaps more importantly, with his family. It all boiled down to the fact, thought, that if Zechs Marquis had hurt Wufei in any way... then Zechs was a dead man walking. Heero's eyes flicked to Trowa and Quatre. The two seemed calm. Trowa maybe a bit tense and Quatre perplexed. Neither seemed angry or scared, both emotions Heero would expect of them if Wufei were hurt in some way. Quatre caught Heero staring and smiled softly, motioning his hands over the table, in preteens of talking animatedly with Sally. Heero recognized the signs they'd used back in the war on missions... and still to this day on missions with Preventers. Heero calmed down a bit; Quatre was telling him to hold his fire and wait for backup. In other words... Quatre wanted him to sit tight and not do anything rash until he'd spoken with Quatre or Trowa. Heero nodded almost imperceptibly to let his blond 'brother' know that the message was understood. He'd figure out what was going on. Sooner or later.

* * *

Quite soon after dinner Wufei had pulled Quatre off to the side to talk. Zechs had been asked to help Sally and Noin. Ilyana said something about the library and Duo... well Duo had gone to check his emails on Heero's laptop. Duo was going to get a death sentence – and not his first – if anything happened to Heero's laptop. Heero sighed as he saw found Trowa sitting in the front room reading. Heero had expected Quatre and Wufei to be with him but obviously they weren't. Heero leaned against the arch frame wondering what Quatre and Wufei were up to. Heero gave a silent sigh as he watched the back of Trowa's head and a few lines of words that made no sense.

"If you have a question then ask," Trowa's alto voice caused Heero to jump from where she stood. Heero sighed and walked over to Trowa and sat next to the ex-silencer. Heero always found it amazing that Trowa could tell when someone was near. Almost like animal instincts.

"I thought you would be with Cat."

"Cat can take care of herself... Besides she's with Lian."

Heero sighed and turned to face Trowa, who was still reading. "What's wrong with Lian?" Trowa put the book mark in place and rested the book on her lap before turning to Heero.

"Fine. You want to know?" Trowa asked, getting a nod of Heero. "Well Lian had a bad time last night..."

In the hall stood a mysterious shadow listening in on Tania and Kimi's conversation, slightly confused and sad at what they heard.

* * *

Quatre and Wufei rested under the tree as they relaxed in the cool midday air. Quatre could feel Wufei relaxing and clearing her head as they meditated together. Quatre let the soft breeze flow brushing her hair away from her face. It felt nice having the cool breeze there. Quatre opened her eyes and stopped meditating and looked at the flowers all around her. They were all blooming and it almost seemed like a romantic setting. Too bad he wasn't with that kind of loved one. Being with a 'brother' and being with your lover are too different things.

"I'm guessing you're not in the mood?"

Quatre turned to Wufei now lying on her back looking up at the sky. Quatre had to admit that she never spent enough time with the loner pilot and even when they where back to normal they would try and do it more. Quatre lay back on the grass next to Wufei. A few random questions circled her head as she thought about random things. Quatre looked at Wufei.

"Wufei, can I ask you a question?"

Wufei turned her attention to the pale face next to her. "Can I ask you some?" Quatre nodded in their agreement.

"Did you ever have a crush on Treize?" Quatre blushed as she asked that question. Wufei laughed slightly. She should have seen that question coming from Quatre sooner or later. Wufei thought about it. Was Treize handsome? Yeah. Was he smart? Yeah. Was he honourable?... Maybe on some level. Wufei looked to the sky as a white cloud floated by with amusingly looked like a lion head.

"I guess in a way I did, but I guess not too much." Wufei smiled as she turned back to Quatre. "So why do you like Barton so much? And how come you guys didn't get together in the war." Both laughed slightly. "I mean you followed and chased after him like a lost puppy?"

Quatre blushed and gave a small giggle as the blonde thought of her lover. Quatre thought of the many things he loved about Trowa. There was so much. He was strong, independent, smart, handsome, sexy... But it was the little things that got Quatre.

"It's the little things." Quatre giggled. "How he use to act like he didn't care when he was always trying to protect and save me. The way at night he'd always seem peaceful." Quatre then rolled over on to her front and smiled like she was in a daydream. "The way he seemed shy to tell me anything. Or how he could read a book and still pay attention to everything around him." Quatre turned back to Wufei who was watching Quatre inventively. Quatre had a big smile. "And I always loved the way he calls me Little One." Wufei couldn't help but laugh at how innocent Quatre was. Wufei wanted to protect that innocence in Quatre always.

"You two are amazing together." Wufei smiled as he thought about it. "Duo always used to tease you about that name. And we always said you were Trowa's Little One." Quatre laughed as he listened to Wufei. "I hope I can be as happy as you Quatre."

Quatre smiled and threw a playful punch at Wufei. "Hey, you will. I promise!"

* * *

"Maybe we should start calling you the 'God of Love' instead of the 'God of Death'."  
Violet eyes glared up at the woman. Noin burst out into giggles.  
"Oh, Duo. You just looked so happy. I knew something had to of happened. So... did the perfect soldier make a move?"  
Duo glared at her. "Don't call him that," he snapped. "He's not perfect. He's a right asshole sometimes. And he snores. And hogs the covers. And he's not just a soldier."  
"Relax," Noin laughed, walking into the room. But she wasn't quite kidding all the way. Duo was really upset about that? "It's just like us calling Wufei 'dragon'. Or calling Trowa a 'Clown'. Trowa's certainly not a clown by any stretch of the imagination. It's just a name, Duo. And why so snappy? You seemed so happy earlier."  
"No," Duo sighed, looking away from the laptop. "I think this whole thing is still a bit one-sided. I've felt this way for a long time, I just... never realized it, I guess."  
"Oh, Duo," Noin sat down next to him and pulled the girl into an embrace. "Don't worry. I'm certain he feels the same. He's just like you. He just needs to realize what's right there in front of his face."  
"If it were a MS... we'd be dead by now with all the 'not seeing' we've been doing," Duo noted.  
Noin chuckled. "Yeah. Probably. Unless it was an Alliance MS. Most of their pilots didn't have the sense their mama gave them."  
Duo smiled. "Hey... weren't you on their side?"  
"Why do you think I switched sides," she joked, tickling Duo's side. The teen burst into giggles as she squirmed away, almost dislodging the laptop from its perch on her lap. A light night quick reflex saved the computer.  
"Not while I have Heero's computer," Duo warned. "I really would like to live long enough to see him come to his senses, thank you very much!" 

* * *

"Where did Noin disappear to?" Zechs asked, drying off the last of the dishes that Sally'd washed.  
"To check on the girls," Sally said. "Teenage girls are really complicated creatures."  
"You can say that again," The blond man muttered.  
"Teenage girls are really complicated creatures," Sally obliged, repeating herself. Zechs grinned, smacking her lightly with the dishtowel.  
"So," Sally said. "You seemed a bit off this morning. Something on your mind?"  
Zechs frowned abruptly. "I... I think I did something wrong."  
"We all make mistakes. What makes you so sure you did, though? Kill somebody and stash the body in Ilyana's closet?"  
"No," Zechs sighed. "I.. I kissed Lian last night."  
Sally's grip on the plate in her hands faltered, the dish bobbling and almost crashing to the counter. "Come again?"  
"I kissed Lian."  
Sally turned to her friend. "You... kissed... Lian. And she didn't kill you?"  
"No. I think... I think she's scared."  
Sally frowned, but nodded. "Yes, yes. I can see why. Zechs, listen to me. There are things about Lian you don't know. She's a lot like Wufei. She may seem all strong and stuff... and don't worry, she *is*. But her heart is a bit fragile. Have a care how you handle it, okay? I'd suggest trying to *talk* to her before you push her too far too fast."  
Zechs nodded. "I think I realized that. Do you know where she is?"  
Sally nodded at the sliding glass doors leading onto the porch. Zechs looked, and out in the distance in the garden, he could see Lian and Cat laying in the shade of a flowering tree. As he watched, a breeze shook the branches, a few pink and white flowers shaking free and drifting down to the teens beneath. The blond laughed brightly, it looked like, reaching up to catch a falling flower.  
Zechs stepped onto the porch in time to catch Lian's sweet smile. She looked for the entire world like an older sister humouring the fancies of a younger sister.  
Taking a deep breath, Zechs stepped down the stairs and into the garden.

* * *

Wufei laughed as she watched Quatre try to grab the flower and failed. It was humorous to see the blonde fail at something that seemed so simple. Quatre only laughed as she picked up the flower and looked at it. Wufei couldn't help but wonder how someone so gentle and innocent could have been a deadly Gundam Pilot. Quatre suddenly stopped looking at the flower and sat up abruptly. A small flicker of worry came to her eyes. Wufei sat up and there she saw what her 'sibling' had been looking at. There a few feet away stood Zechs. He looked as if he was going to say something but then turned to Quatre. Something of fear shone in his eyes.

"Hello Zechs," Quatre said calmly. Wufei could see Quatre discreetly moving closer to her.  
Zechs gave a small bow. "Forgive me for interrupting but would it be alright if I could talk to Lian alone." Quatre gave a discreet hand sign that meant don't worry.

"That will have to be up to Lian," Quatre turned to Wufei. "Do you want me to stay?"

Wufei didn't speak for a second thinking. "I..."

"I would rather speak to her alone." Zechs stated as Quatre and Wufei rose.

"But today was supposed to be the day I spend with Lian." Quatre gave a cute little pout that Wufei could tell was extremely fake. Wufei had to give it to Quatre, he was stubborn, yet Wufei could still see hesitation in leaving her alone with Zechs.

Zechs only laughed. "No offence or anything Cat but, you're a lot like your brother." Quatre gave a small smile as she clung on to Wufei causing them both to almost fall over.

"Well I'm just as protective as him," Quatre then noticed the flicker of regret in Zechs' eyes. Damn bad move, Wufei thought.

* * *

Trowa had finally finished talking to Heero and explaining everything... Well almost everything. Heero seemed alright with it. Mostly! Trowa stood up and placed the book on the coffee table and turned back to Heero.

"Just don't tell Duo," Trowa warned. "You know what he's like." Heero nodded and looked to the door way. There was Duo. Now that's just dumb luck, Heero thought.

"Hey either of you know why it looks like Zechs is interrogating Cat and Lian?" Trowa and Heero looked at each other and both knew what they were thinking. Both walked with Duo to a window overlooking the garden. There stood the three in question. Wufei looked slightly afraid and Quatre looked hesitant to leave Wufei while Zechs just seemed... well Zechs.

"They've been like that for a few minutes." Duo stated as she pulled the certain aside.

Heero and Trowa had to admit they were slightly worried yet there was nothing they could do at the moment. Then something seemed to happen.

* * *

Ilyana poked her head around the corner, and saw Noin standing beside Sally, both women watching the scene unfolding before them with curiosity. Ilyana smiled softly at the vision. Lian was standing there, a bit fearful, it seemed. And the smaller blond Cat was in front of her, in a protective stance, as if trying to keep Zechs away from the other girl. The wind kept blowing, the flower petals drifting down around them, the pink and white blossoms landing in Cat's hair, falling to rest on Lian's shoulder's. It was a very beautiful scene.  
"They are so beautiful like that," Ilyana sighed.  
"Mmhmm," Noin nodded. "You can see the love between Quatre and Wufei. It's not the same love as between Quatre and Trowa. It's more like... brothers. Or, well, sisters as the case may be now."  
Sally agreed with a small smile. "Yes. They are. You know, I never thought I'd see the day when Chang Wufei would smile so carefree like that. He was so sombre and passionate back then."  
"He was stressed and depressed," Noin corrected. "He'd just lost his entire family... and his wife."  
"Wife?" Ilyana questioned. "But he would have been just a child."  
Sally nodded. "Yeah. It was some arranged marriage by his family. I think... I think Wufei really did love her, in his own way. Maybe he was too young to quiet understand the true intricacies of love and passion, but..."  
"He's getting there, now," Noin finished.  
"They both are," Sally agreed.  
Ilyana smiled, and opened her mouth to speak... when suddenly the scene changed. All three pairs of eyes stayed riveted on the scene unfolding before them...

* * *

Quatre waited steadily for a reply from Wufei. Quatre could feel that Wufei didn't want to be anywhere near Zechs. Quatre felt that way as if it where her own feelings and not another's. Quatre looked at Wufei to see the girl pondering. The wind made the petals dance around Wufei that gave Wufei a different kind of beauty to what Quatre had seen before. That mystery wrapped up in beauty. Quatre wondered if that was why Zechs liked her. Quatre turned her attention back to Zechs. Zechs stood there in a hopeful sense. The wind danced around him as well. Brushing the long pale blonde hair to one side. It seemed strange that only now their feelings would come out. At a time like this.

"Lian, I would like to talk for a few minutes," Zechs requested.

Wufei gulped and walked closer to Quatre. "Go on Cat. It will only be a few minutes."

"But Lian..."

"Please Cat. Don't make me beg." Wufei said. Quatre nodded and whispered something in to Wufei's ear before walking over to the house. Wufei watched as Quatre shut the door behind her. Wufei then turned her attention to Zechs how hadn't even budged since Quatre had left.

"Lian," Zechs stepped forward only to cause Lian to take two steps back. Zechs could see that the girl was fearful and did not move another step towards the girl. "I..."

"Zechs if you're going to say something then say it. You said only a few minutes, and Cat can get very impatient." Zechs could somehow see Lian's armour rebuilding, closing her off from the weak girl she had seemed a few minutes ago. What was it about these girls? One minute they could seem completely weak and normal, the next they have armour that could probably be as tough as Gundanium.

"I wanted to apologize for last night." Zechs gave a small bow to the girl. Lian dropped her guard and there Zechs could see the hole in the still rebuilding armour. "I know what I did last night was inappropriate and I should never have even thought to do it." Zechs gave a sigh. "But you are intriguing, beautiful and there is something about you that makes me want to understand you."

"Understand me?" Lian parented.

"I'm sorry, is all I can really say right now." Zechs then turned and walked back into the house.

Wufei's legs gave way and she fell to the floor shaking. She sighed as it was finally over. Wufei really wanted Quatre or Trowa to talk to right now.

* * *

Quatre watched as Zechs walked away and Quatre could feel Wufei's emotions. Quatre grabbed Trowa's arm and pulled her outside to Wufei now just sitting there shaking.

* * *

The three women watched as Zechs turned around and started walking towards them. Only a moment after he moved... Lian fell to her knees, hands braced against the ground as her hair fluttered around her face, littered with pink and white flowers.  
"Zechs Marquis," Noin hissed the moment Zechs walked inside the house. "Just what the *hell* did you do to that girl!"  
The suddenness of the attack caught Zechs off guard, and Sally was able to corner him by grabbing hold of the collar of his shirt.  
"What?" He blinked. "I... I apologized to her is all. I swear."  
Sally backed off a little, but didn't let go of his shirt.  
"Apologize for what?" Ilyana demanded.  
"For kissing her," Sally surmised. "Am I right?"  
Ilyana's blue eyes widened. "WHAT!"  
Zechs nodded. "It wasn't exactly what I'd planned on doing... but... I just scare her so much," his voice was sad. "And truth be told, I still need to figure out just *why* I'm drawn to her this way. I think that if she feels anything... then she needs to be the one to initiate it the next time. I *want* her... but I don't want to frighten her."  
Noin and Sally nodded, as the sense in his words clicked with them. Ilyana was still staring wide eyed, still stuck on the 'kiss' part. Lian might not have been her flesh and blood, like Cat, but all five girls held a special place in the blond woman's heart.  
Sally let go of Zechs' shirt, and patted his chest in a friendly fashion with a small laugh. "You certainly know how to pick the women in your life, Zechs," she laughed.  
"Meaning?" Noin asked.  
"Well... look at you. And Look at me. And look at Relena.. Une... Lian? He couldn't find himself *normal* friends, he had to go for the crazy, odd ones!"  
"What's so crazy and odd about Lian?" Zechs questioned.  
Noin laughed this time, "Oh, you have no idea," she laughed, patting him on the shoulder and then leaving to find Heero and Duo.

* * *

Duo watched as Quatre and Trowa went to see Wufei. Duo left as if she needed to go but was stopped by an arm. Duo looked to see Heero stopping her. Heero shook her head in indication to leave the problem up to Trowa and Quatre. Duo sighed and nodded before looking out the window to see Quatre and Trowa crouch down next to Wufei.

"Kimi, care to play chess?" Heero nodded before walking with the braided girl to the living room.

* * *

Quatre and Trowa slowly walked over to Wufei. Quatre didn't need to talk or even use her empathy to know that Wufei wanted to cry. Quatre and Trowa sat down next to Wufei and waited for the girl to say something. Wufei kept her face hidden away from Quatre and Trowa as they watched the scenery waiting for Wufei to just talk.

Wufei felt alright now that they were there. Something about the empath and the silent clown made Wufei feel calm it was strange. Before the final battle Wufei hadn't exactly talked to Quatre and yet Quatre was closer to him than maybe even Trowa. That feeling of them just being there was something Wufei could live with forever, but the fact that if he didn't talk it was just going to break him down right away.

"He said, I was, beautiful and there is something about me that makes him want to understand me," Wufei said it so silently that Trowa wasn't sure he heard it. Wufei looked up at the petals that still fell from the shady tree. "I don't understand why this is happening..." Wufei sighed. "I hate being like this."

Quatre leaned in and rested an arm around Wufei for comfort. "I guess it is most difficult for you out of all of us." Quatre soothingly said. Quatre leaned her head against Wufei's. "I wish I could help but I don't know what to say."

"Sometimes it's better not to say anything," Trowa said rubbing Wufei's back.

Wufei gave a chuckle. "I guess this is one of those times... Only Quatre..." Quatre looked at Wufei. "Next time could you use the puppy dog eyes instead of the pout? I think that would work."

"Oh, Wufei." Quatre gave Wufei a big bear hug as a small laugh escaped all of them.

* * *

Ilyana answered the vid phone on the second ring.  
"Hello. Winner Residence."  
The woman smiled brightly at the blond. "Hi. My name is Dr. Miranda Lucas. Might I speak with Cat Winner or Chang Lian please?"  
Ilyana's eyes narrowed. "They are both currently busy. Maybe I could take a message?"  
"Is there any way to speak with one of Lian's friends? The other girls staying with them?"  
"I don't know who you are, but I think that..."  
"It's okay, Ilyana," Heero said, walking into the room.  
"Kimi," Miranda smiled brightly. "I have excellent news for you."  
"You've found a cure to our... illness?"  
Miranda nodded. "Yes, I think I have. I will need you all to come to my lab on L5, though. There is a small problem, though. With the partial information I was able to glean from what you and Lian sent me, I was only able to do my best. I..." She frowned. "I would like to *test* the cure before I administer it to all five you."  
Heero nodded. "Acceptable. How soon should we plan to arrive?"  
"I'll send the co-ordinates through to W... Lian's email. And as quick as you can. There's no telling how stable the changes were. Staying like you are for too long... may have undesirable side-effects."  
Heero nodded. "Affirmative. Expect us sometime tomorrow."  
"Until then," Miranda said, and cut the connection. Ilyana turned to Heero.  
"You're leaving?" She asked.  
Duo was leaning against the door to the room. "You heard the doctor. The sooner the better. I can't speak for the others, but I for one do not wish to spend my life as a woman. I mean, no offence, and being a girl's different and all, but I miss being a guy. I don't want to worry about makeup and crossing my legs and wearing heels. I like being a guy."  
"Then it's settled," Heero nodded. "I'll go tell the others. Dannielle... go tell Sally and Noin. They may want to go with us."  
"Gotcha," Duo winked, and then disappeared.  
Ilyana sighed. "Guess it's back to having a brother for me, huh?"  
Heero 'hn'd, declining to comment on the many backfires this could have.


	8. Chapter 8

Quatre laughed as Wufei and Trowa talked about a mission that went wrong for them once. How both basically had to climb through five miles of ventilation just to get out free and that Wufei had ended up looking like Duo in all black instead of all white. Quatre couldn't stop the giggling and just started to cry as Trowa told him about how his face was covered in soot and the other was clean. Quatre could breath he was laughing so much at the story.

Wufei and Trowa looked at each other and saw the glint in each other's eyes. Both nodded before slowly crawling over to the oblivious Quatre. Quatre panted after the laugh attack he just had, but before he could see Wufei and Trowa they both pounced the small boy and started to tickle the younger teen until he was crying again.

"No... S-stop... I can't..." Quatre couldn't even get a word out.

"Yo guys," called a voice. "At least let blondie breath." All looked to see Duo there smiling away having fun.

"Is something wrong?" Trowa asked helping Quatre sit up.

"Wufei you have an email off that Doctor, we're going to meet her on L5 tomorrow." Duo explained as he gave a hand in helping everyone up. "So orders from Hee-chan are to get ready. He's telling Noin and Sally." Duo then bounced off back into the house as the three boys/girls stood there under the tree.

"So basically we have to find out Zechs' feelings tonight or he'll think Lian and the others will magically vanish." Quatre spoke softly.

"Are we going to tell him?" Trowa asked even though he sort of knew the answer.

"If we do then he's going to find out he kissed me." Wufei sighed. "This is difficult."

"No joke," All three sighed.

* * *

Mischa shook her head. She really didn't like to eavesdrop, but when you were the hired help and your job hinged on your ability to help... you had to know just how to help. And that often implied eavesdropping. She'd learned state secrets in the past, learned of a senator's affair, learned that some heiress's baby *wasn't* her husband's. She'd learned lots of odd and some terrible things over her years working for Ms. Winner.  
But realizing what had happened to these girls... boys, she thought wryly... that was one of the worst. They certainly all had very messed up lives, and she hoped the best for all of them.  
"Those poor, poor girls," she sighed, leaning back against the wall for a moment, a basket of laundry in her hands. "I hope that doctor can help them."  
"Doctor?"  
Mischa jumped, the basket tumbling to the floor. "Oh, my," she gasped, spinning to see none other than the handsome Zechs standing in the hallway.  
"Doctor?" He repeated. "What do you mean a doctor help them?" His voice was curious, but it had a cold edge to it, and Mischa could tell he was genuinely worried by what little he'd overheard.  
"Um... I'm sorry. I have to go," she blushed, grabbing her basket and fleeing away from the tall, fair-haired man.  
"Doctor?" Zechs pondered to himself. That made no sense. Maybe Ilyana could explain. He turned back the way he came, and headed towards the library, only to hear voices inside whispering.  
"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Ilyana's voice asked quietly.  
"We are," That was Cat's voice. "It's something that we have to do. Living like this... it wasn't meant for us. Having to watch every move we make... lying to everyone. I just... I just want to be normal again."  
"And all of you agree? You're all going to go through with it?"  
"We are," That was Dannielle's voice. "We're going to miss you, Ilyana. We'll miss this. And no matter what, we'll never forget our time here."  
Ilyana sighed. "And what of Lian?"  
"I want to go back," Lian's voice said softly. "Maybe more so than anyone else. I finally understand a lot of things... and I want to take that knowledge with me. I want... I want to be me again."

* * *

Quatre sighed as she packed her things ready to go back. Not that she needed anything really. Just the cloths she wore on the day she changed into a girl. And some extra cloths in case they had to stay a while. Quatre sighed once more as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist and soft sweet lips met her warm neck. Quatre leaned back into her lover and gave a melancholy smile. Trowa kissed Quatre's cheek.

"You okay?"

Quatre nodded. "Just thinking about everything that has happened." Quatre placed her arms on top of Trowa's. "Didn't you want to go and see Wufei before we left?"

"You okay on your own?" Trowa kissed Quatre's neck again.

"Yes now go." Trowa gave a peck to Quatre's lips before walking to Wufei's room.

* * *

Trowa knocked on Wufei's door and was allowed inside. Wufei could tell that Trowa wanted to tell him something, but it didn't seem right for the silent clown to be this secretive about something.

"What's up?" Wufei asked sitting on the bed.

"I was going to do something after this mission was over but it's been delayed." Trowa said as she sat next to Wufei. "I want you to tell me what you think about this idea. And I was wondering if you could help me pull it off after its done?"

"Trowa you know I'll do anything, so spill!" Wufei folded her arms as the taller teen whispered the idea into her ear. Wufei's mouth only dropped.

* * *

"There you two are we were looking for you guys." Noin said as all sat in the living room for Trowa and Wufei. The only members house hold that weren't there were Zechs and Ilyana. "You almost ready?"

"Yeah," Wufei said as he counted who was in the room. There's one missing. "Where's Cat?"

"Gone to say bye to Ilyana." Duo stated.

* * *

Quatre slipped quietly into the group, linking her hand with Trowa as she wiped a few errant tears away from her eyes.  
"Cat?" Trowa asked quietly, but the blond merely shook her head.  
"I'm okay," she said softly, giving a small smile. "I'm just gonna miss being a sister a bit. It's a lot easier to put up with Ilyana when I'm a girl," she explained.  
"Okay," Trowa smiled, and lead Quatre from the house. Noin and Sally followed. Heero put a hand on Duo's back and pushed. "Let's go."  
Wufei waited for them to walk out the door, then sighed, and moved to follow.  
"So you really are leaving?"  
Lian looked over her shoulder at Zechs, standing there.  
"Yes," she replied, pausing. She'd wanted to tell him. Wanted to explain everything... but she found she couldn't. Maybe it was fear, she didn't know. But she didn't speak the words she'd planned on.  
"Are you coming back?" Zechs asked.  
"I... I don't know," she admitted truthfully. If there still was a Lian when this was over, then she probably would come back, if just for a while. If there wasn't a Lian anymore... who knew what would happen?  
"I will miss you, Lian," Zechs said simply.  
"Don't call me that," she sighed, berating herself the moment it left her lips.  
"Just who are you? What are you hiding? I heard... something about being sick? I thought that was it... but no. It's bigger than that. I just want to understand."  
"What if when you do..." Wufei said softly, "What if you did understand... and then you wished you didn't? Because it wasn't what you thought?"  
"I don't think that could ever happen," Zechs shrugged. "There's just... something about you. I feel... I feel I could be happy with you."  
"You don't know me."  
"I don't care. It doesn't matter. The heart feels what the heart feels."  
Wufei cringed. "Zechs," she whispered. "No matter what happens, no matter whether you ever see Chang Lian again... just... just know that someone out there still understands you. Someone out there still believes in you." She took a step forward, pressing her lips against his in an urgent kiss, with a fire born of passion and desperation. Lips melded together, teeth nipped, tongues intertwined in a fierce, wild kiss. And as quick as it began, it ended. Wufei pulled away, leaving a confused, aroused Zechs behind her.  
"Just believe," Lian- Wufei- told him as she disappeared out the door.

Zechs watched as the two cars pulled away from house. Zechs could see Lian in the car next to Cat. Cat leaned on Lian's shoulder as some words were spoken. The car then drove out of sight. Zechs sighed. Should he wait until they came back? Who knows how long that will be? Or should he go back to work and do what Lian said? Zechs turned to see Ilyana's tear stained face as she walked through the door.

"They're not coming back are they?" Zechs asked as he walked up to the woman.

Deep down in her heart Ilyana knew that it was going to work. She just knew it. They were going to be boys again. Ilyana nodded and flung herself into Zechs' arms. Zechs embraced the woman knowing she needed the support. He could stay for one more night. It was too late to head back anyway.

* * *

Quatre hugged Wufei as silent tears fell from the girls dark eyes. Lucky only Noin, Quatre and Trowa where in the car. Quatre leaned on Wufei giving support as Wufei returned it. Quatre could feel Wufei's emotions start to overflow her. Quatre pushed back the tears that threatened to fall.

"You didn't tell him, did you?" Quatre asked seeing the pain through tears. Wufei nodded and wiped the tears away.

"It's for the best he doesn't find out," Trowa put in.

"Maybe," Wufei whispered. Maybe not, Wufei thought.

* * *

Miranda Lucas absently tucked an errant curl of blond hair behind her ear, going back over the report she'd been reading.  
"Mira, love, come to sleep."  
Miranda blinked up at Terry, her fiancé. "No," she said. "I have to make sure I'm not missing anything."  
"You're not," he assured.  
"But *if* I am... it could mean life or death for those kids. They're placing their lives in my hands, Terry, and I'm *not* going to take that lightly. One wrong dosage with this radiation... it could kill them."  
"And if you're too tired when they get here and you mess up?"  
"I won't," she said, but she saw his logic. Maybe it would be best to get a few hours sleep so she could look at everything with fresh eyes and a fresh mind. She sighed. "You're right," she admitted, and allowed herself to be pulled away from the computer.  
"I just hope this works," she whispered. 

* * *

Heero smirked. They'd only been out of the driveway for five minutes, and Duo was already asleep. She had her feet tucked up under her, and her head resting against the cool window. Sally was driving, and Heero could tell she kept tabs on them with the rear-view mirror. Heero didn't care. Duo obsessed his thoughts.  
It was always Duo, Heero pondered. Always Duo. No matter how much the brunette annoyed him or ticked him off... he always came back to Duo. More than anyone, more than Trowa. More than the sweet empathic Quatre... more than anyone, Duo was his best friend.  
Duo was the one he'd come back for. It was Duo's voice that had brought him back from the brink more than once. It was Duo that he'd heard calling for him after the battle for Libra. It was always Duo.  
Duo had understood more than anyone the way he felt for Relena. Some people had thought he cared for her. And maybe, in the beginning, he had cared for her. More in a sisterly way, he guessed, than anything else. But she'd annoyed him one too many times, and it had turned lately to a bare tolerance for her... and seemed on its way to full on loathing.  
But no matter how Duo annoyed him... he didn't stop caring for him.  
Heero's thoughts turned back to the dictionary Duo'd been reading that morning. Was it just that morning? It seemed like so long ago.  
Heero sighed. He hated thinking about emotions. And lately it seemed it was all he could do. Did love exist? The question plagued him. Did it?  
He hadn't thought so.  
But... how could he explain Quatre and Trowa? It was adoration, affection, passion, compassion... Love was certainly the word anyone else would use to explain them.  
And what about Wufei? Wasn't love supposed to be sweet and happy? If that was the word for what Wufei was feeling... then it wasn't sweet or happy. Was love supposed to be able to cause such pain to such a strong person?  
If that was love... and if love did exist... then... what would it do to *him*?

* * *

Trowa watched as the two exhausted teens fell asleep on each other. It was strange to see the two depending on each other but it would be amusing to see them like that when their all back to normal. Trowa smiled as he pulled a strand of hair from Quatre's eyes and tucked it behind his ear. Trowa then saw Noin smile at him.

"It's sweet to see you like that with Quatre," Noin whispered softly. Trowa nodded. "I guess you can't wait to be back to normal. Did you find being a girl hard?" It seemed like a strange question to be asked. As if you were a school child and just got asked what was it like in a new terrifying school.

"No," was Trowa's response. "I'll love Quatre no matter what." Noin smiled. "Besides I think Quatre and I still have to finish being match maker... As much as I hate it."

Noin gave a small giggle as the shuttle port was almost in view. Trowa sighed, here goes nothing.

* * *

Noin sighed as they got out of the cars and she noticed that Duo was asleep. Uh-oh, she thought. She'd managed to do without their antics this morning... but she guessed it was too much to ask to go a whole day without someone having to wake the Deathscythe pilot up. She briefly wondered just how rough his life had been for him to take any chance for sleep he could get? She knew for a fact that if none of the other's were around he could stay up for over forty-eight hours. Like he could only truly let his guard down when he knew his friends were there to watch his back.  
"Here we go again," Sally thought as she got out of the car. She looked over in the rear-view mirror and sighed at the sweet scene. Heero had apparently given up on whatever it was he was thinking so hard about, and had fallen asleep, leaning against Duo, his head resting on the other pilot's shoulder. Would those two ever catch a clue?  
"Heero," Sally said, deciding she couldn't let the scene go on for too long.  
The 'perfect soldier' snapped his eyes open, instantly awake.  
"We're at the shuttle port," Sally told him. "Can you wake him or should I go steal Quatre?"  
Heero blinked, and sat up. If he was the least bit embarrassed about being caught napping on his best friend, he didn't let it show.  
His brow furrowed, as if he was thinking, then he leaned up close to Duo's ear.  
"Zero Two... Ozzies in the area, copy?"  
"Copy," was the mumbled reply, but Duo was still asleep. Sally grinned and Heero smirked.  
"Baka, Omae o Korosu! Sleeping on the job! You're supposed to be watching the enemy!" Heero demanded, a little louder.  
Duo startled awake. "I didn't do it, I swear! They drugged me! I..." Duo blinked around him, then at the grinning Heero. Violet eyes narrowed.  
"I'm gonna Omae o Korosu *you*, Yuy!" Duo snarled playfully, then pounced.  
Sally blinked back tears of laughter. Whoever would have guessed that Heero Yuy, The Perfect Soldier, was ticklish?

* * *

Trowa had woke Quatre and Wufei and they got out of the car. All three felt as if they were dreaming when they saw Heero getting tickled by Duo. All sighed.

"Are they ever going to take a hint?" Quatre asked rubbing her eyes.

"Please tell me I wasn't like that with Zechs?" Wufei begged.

"Don't worry you weren't," Trowa said then turned to Wufei. "It was either all or nothing with you two. Duo and Heero are more open."

"If you think about it, they basically do what normal couples do apart from have sex." Quatre stated so bluntly. Trowa and Wufei stared wide eyed at the blonde. Quatre turned to them.

"What?"

"Okay we got love birds, we got Lian and we got those two... Everything ready to go?" Sally asked walking up to them.

"Looks like it." Noin smiled. "Let's go."

* * *

The shuttle ride was even quitter than the time before. Quatre and Trowa ad practically sat down and fallen asleep, Wufei had began reading and Heero and Duo were doing something out of view of Noin and Sally.

"This feels strange." Noin said.

"At what? The fact that their almost as couple groups?" Sally asked with a small chuckle.

"No what Cat said earlier," Noin spoke softly. "Look Dannielle and Kimi do practically do everything apart from the romantic stuff in a relationship. So I don't think it would be that much different if they went out."

"That's what I said when you went out with Zechs."

"Point taken," Noin sighed. "I wish they'd just hurry up and get together."

Sally blinked at what Noin said. "Lucrezia... what if... what if we're wrong about those two? I mean, it's like we just pointed out... you and Zechs were BEST friends. You had more going for you two to get together than Heero and Duo. And you didn't work out. What if we're pushing them together when they weren't meant to be?"  
Noin frowned. "I don't know why it's different, but it just is. Plus... Quatre is never wrong about things like this."  
Sally laughed. "Yeah. He does have kind of a way of knowing these things, doesn't he? But... he isn't infallible. He can make mistakes."  
"Even so... I'm not betting against him."  
"Yeah. Point taken..." Sally frowned. "Is it me, or is it quiet in here?"  
"Too quiet," Noin agreed. "When Duo's awake... no noise is a *bad* sign. Things usually end up exploding."  
"Or people wake up with green hair..."  
A small chuckle escaped Noin. "I wonder if Une will ever forgive Duo for replacing her shampoo with lime green dye?"  
"Probably not. We should check on him. This is really making me nervous."  
"Agreed." The two women unbuckled, and got up to go find their supposed trouble-maker.  
"Those two are cute when they're asleep," Sally sighed as they walked past Quatre, who was curled up on the seat next to Trowa, her head rising against the side of Trowa's chest, with Trowa's arm around her.  
"We also have very good hearing," Quatre agreed, one aqua eye opened.  
"Sorry. We didn't mean to wake you. We're just going to find Heero and Duo."  
Wufei looked up. "I see. It is... unusually quiet."  
"That's what we thought."  
"When Duo's quiet, things usually explode," Quatre said, sitting up, worried.  
"That's why we're worried," Sally noted.  
Wufei stood. "So... shall we go see what the braided menace has in store for us today?"  
"His hair's not braided," Quatre pointed out. "It's in a ponytail today."  
"Technicality," Wufei snorted. "He shall always be our braided menace."

* * *

All gazed over at where Heero and Duo had been sitting, however what they found was to their surprise and gained a squeak from Quatre. There slept Heero and Duo. Heero was lying out stretched over three seats with Duo lying slightly on top of the prefect soldier. Duo's head rose and fell as Heero's easy breathing continued. Both oblivious to what was happening around them. Sally and Noin awed the two sleeping stars. Wufei and Trowa had a slight smirk figuring out how this was going to end.

"I did not expect this..." Noin whispered as they headed back not to wake the two sleepers.

"Yeah, I expected something to be terribly wrong." Sally said with a silent laugh. "Maybe we should all get some rest. We still have time left."

"Good plan," Noin said as everyone walked back to their seats.

Quatre settled down upon Trowa and watched the green eyes as arms snaked around the slim, curved frame. Quatre smiled and rubbed noses with Trowa and gave a peck on the lips before resting her head on Trowa's chest. Trowa's hand started to stroke Quatre's hair as the blonde started to hum a small lullaby tune. Trowa's kissed Quatre's head and let the lullaby engulf his mind. Soon – when they got home – they would be hearing that melody played on different instruments. Filling the room in a dancing bouncing rhythm that would calm even the most vicious of beasts. Trowa couldn't wait to hear them. To see fingers dance along the piano keys, to see Quatre dancing around the room as he played the violin and Trowa accompanied with the flute.

* * *

Zechs sighed as he sat down next to Ilyana. The blond woman was absorbed in a book, and Zechs was *trying* to read the one in his hands. But his mind was whirling around way too much for him to concentrate on a book.  
"Penny for them," Ilyana said, turning a page and never looking up.  
"Pardon?"  
"Penny for your thoughts," she clarified, glancing up at him with her blue eyes. "Y'know, it usually helps to talk about things. Helps you to reason things out. That's what Lian did. She relies on her friends. On Cat, on Tania, on Kimi... even on Dannielle."  
"They're all so close," Zechs mused. "It's very similar to the complex web of friendship I've observed elsewhere. Specifically with Cat and Lian's brothers."  
"Cat and Quatre are very similar," Ilyana nodded. "Sometimes it seems the only difference in the two is one is a girl, the other is a boy."  
Zechs chuckled at that thought.  
"So... you were very close to Lian's brother, no?"  
"Actually... I think Wufei hates me," Zechs replied. "Maybe not as much as others do... but I am most certainly not his favourite person. We... We don't even really talk. Outside of things directly involved with Preventer's work... I don't think I've really talked with Wufei or Quatre or *any* of their group."  
"So... why don't you talk with them?"  
"I..." Zechs closed his eyes, thinking. "I don't know. Afraid, I guess. I've done terrible things. I was their enemy once. I guess I was afraid they wouldn't accept me. It's easier to keep to myself and think they don't like me... than to expose myself, to actually *try* just to find out they don't like me. I guess underneath it all... I'm nothing but a coward."  
"Have you ever thought that maybe they feel the same?"  
Zechs blinked. "What?"  
Ilyana closed her book, leaving a finger inside to mark her page as she looked at her guest. "Maybe they feel the same. Maybe they're scared, too. Maybe it's easier to not know you and to hate you, than to know you and find out they don't. And anyways... I know my brother. He doesn't hate you. Maybe he doesn't *understand* you... maybe none of them do. But you'll never find out anything if you keep to yourself. You took initiative with Lian. You made the first move. You just need to do that with them, too. I think you could really make friends with this Wufei. From what I know, Wufei is a very honourable man. You two might have more in common than you think."  
"I've been told that before," Zechs mused. Maybe, he thought. Maybe it was time to actually look into what others said.

* * *

Zechs started to walk around the house looking around the rooms. Then something caught his eye, Lian's door was open. Zechs frowned but advanced over to the door. Zechs pushed the door opened more so he could look in to see a young maid. What was her name?... Oh, Mischa. She seemed to be dancing around the rooms doing all the work. She then turned around and jumped, dropping everything on the floor as she saw the man standing by the door.

"Sorry," Zechs apologised advancing into the room. Zechs helped the girl pick up all the things he dropped. Zechs then noticed a small pendant on the bed side table. He walked over and picked up the small Yin-Yang pendant on the table.

"That's Lian's," Mischa informed Zechs. "She wore it on the first day she came here."

Mischa then left the room and went about doing the rest of her work. Zechs decided to take a walk around the garden. Stopping at the place where Lian had practiced her kata's. The image of her seemed clear as that night. The way her hair cascaded around her, the way the light from the house danced on her skin, the way she moved as gracefully as a bird flies. Zechs sighed. He was defiantly whipped. He then looked over to the tree that still let the flowers fall to the ground around it. The image of Lian laughing and smiling calmly as Cat tried and failed to catch a flower. Zechs sighed. How on earth could one girl, in a few days have plagued his mind so badly? Zechs looked at the pendant still in his hand. He'd have to return it to her... or at least to Wufei when he saw one of the Chang's.

* * *

Zechs frowned. Noin and Sally had put a hold on all calls trying to reach them. He sighed, and switched to calling Aimee, Une's secretary.  
"I'm sorry," the red-head said. "Agent Chang is on a mission with Agents Barton, Maxwell, Winner, and Yuy at the moment. They're in complete communications blackout."  
"That mission was scheduled to be complete two days ago," Zechs pointed out. As an agent himself, Zechs tried to stay on top of all ongoing missions. And a secret lab belonging to the crazy men who'd created the Gundams was certainly a mission he'd made sure to know about.  
Aimee shrugged. "Sorry, sir. All I know is that there was minor difficulties and the mission is taking longer than planned. I can relay a message to him when the mission is complete, though."  
"No thank you. That's all." He hung up rather abruptly. He'd wanted to let Lian know that she'd forgotten her pendant. And failing that, he'd tried to tell Wufei. He sighed. No rest for the weary, he decided.  
The more he thought about her, the more he wanted to know. How come Wufei had never mentioned her before? They were close, but Wufei had never once even let it slip he *had* a sister, much less one he was close to. Zechs frowned. And he didn't remember reading anything. From what he knew, all of Wufei's family was dead. Zechs pondered this and linked into the Preventer's mainframe. He was going to re-read Wufei's bio. Surely he'd missed something. Wufei Chang.  
Vital statistics. His war records. Weaknesses, strengths. Aha, background and family.  
Zechs blinked. Upon the death of his own lunatic of a guardian and his full pardon of war crimes, he'd been emancipated... just like the other four pilots. There was no next of kin alive, but it did give a list of immediate family members. Meilan Chang- Wife- Deceased. Zechs had known something of that, but had never much investigated it. He must have been young, but to see if wife slain? That must have been horrible. Li Hua Chang- Mother- Deceased. Tao Chang- Father- Deceased. Both had died when the colony was attacked.  
And then, Zechs saw that familiar name. Lian Chang- Sister- Deceased.  
What? Lian was most certainly not dead. So why did it list her as dead? Oh, no. What the hell was going on here? Zechs closed his eyes against the headache he felt coming. All he knew was that... whenever he found Wufei or Lian... they both had a lot of explaining to do!

* * *

Trowa woke up slightly as a small radio came on telling them that in a few minutes they would be arriving at the shuttle port. Trowa looked down on the little angel that lay on top of her. Trowa smiled and ranked her hands gently through Quatre's hair. As much as Trowa liked Quatre this way, he couldn't wait for them to be back to normal. To be able to take care of Quatre, and carry him when he slept. Trowa knew that all of them wanted to be back to normal. Even though their mission had succeeded in a way, they had failed in bringing Heero and Duo together. Trowa sighed, oh well. More for us to do when we get back.

"Tro~wa!" Trowa looked down at his angel to see her moaning and snuggling closer for warmth. Trowa repressed a chuckle and kissed Quatre's head.

"Little One, we're almost there. Wake up."

"Hmm... I don't wanna..."

Trowa smirked slightly and whispered into Quatre's ears. "Heero and Duo are making out."

"WHAT!" Loud groans echoed in the shuttle as Quatre had woken everyone, including himself up, while Trowa just laugh out loud. "Trowa omae o korosu!" Quatre tried to attack Trowa but only ended up in having it back fire and Trowa on a tickle attack.

Wufei laughed as he saw the two. For usually being the most sensible out of the two they had become real immature... Wufei wondered which way he liked them?

Heero and Duo sighed and looked at each other. Heero was sitting up, legs out straight on the chair and supported by his arms. Duo was then straddling Heero's legs. Both blushed and jumped away from each other hoping that no one had seen them that way. However with their comrades 'hope' was all they could do.

* * *

"Lian."  
Wufei looked the petite blond over as he stepped off the shuttle.  
"Miranda," he said, and she smiled.  
"I hope you and your friends had a pleasant trip. I don't have much space, but I've got three extra rooms. Well. Two guest bedrooms and a study with two cots. I think as long as one of you doesn't mind the couch that it would be best for you to stay at my place."  
Noin nodded. "Dr. Lucas. I think that's a very good idea. I don't mind a couch."  
"I'll take the couch," Wufei cut in. "I think it's best for you and Sally to share."  
"Why? We're all girls here," Sally smirked.  
Noin blushed. "Yeah, for the moment at least. But I guess that would be best. That arrangement works. Dannielle and Kimi can bunk together."  
"And of course the lovebirds will bunk together," Wufei rolled his eyes. He'd left the short blond back on the shuttle, teasing the crap out of Heero and Duo. Wufei had to admit that it was rather cute to see the two together like that. If only they would hurry up and realize what was staring them in the faces.  
Wufei snorted, realizing he'd only just stopped being blind himself.  
"Lian?" Miranda questioned.  
"Oh, nothing," he smiled. "So... lead on, Doctor. Lead on."  
"Okay. Follow me. We'll start tests first thing in the morning."

* * *

Wufei watched as Heero and Duo walked down the stairs hiding their faces from each other while Quatre and Trowa were giggling away. Wufei sighed, no wonder we always find unusual things. We're far from normal.

"Come on would you," Wufei called out following the three females. Sighing as Quatre continued to act like a younger sibling annoying the crap out of you. The car ride wasn't much different apart from the odd banter now and again from the two couples... mostly Quatre and Duo. Wufei prayed to whatever God would listen to her that it wouldn't be a long trip. Wufei was surprised when his prayer seemed to be answered. As soon as they reached the house they went straight to the living room to rest and talk about certain things before heading off to bed.

* * *

Duo had started mumbling as she changed facing one wall and Heero facing the other. Duo was slightly annoyed yet amused at the fact that little Quatre had been teasing him since he had woken up – thanks to Quatre as well. Duo then heard Heero start to move around and turned to the boy. Duo then sat on one side of the bed watching as Heero folded his cloths perfect while Duo had practically chucked her own. Duo smiled, realising how different they were. He could imagine them when this was all over if they got together. How many fights they'd get in... yet how many times they'd get Quatre back for a silly embarrassing comment Quatre sometimes 'accidentally' blurted out. One thing Duo couldn't work out was why he didn't just start flirting with Heero. He hadn't really done it with a guy before let alone Heero. But Heero could pick up on the slightest things... Duo would have to ask Quatre and Trowa later on how they silently flirted with each other.

* * *

Wufei turned over, fighting to find a comfortable spot on the couch. Miranda had found him a virtual plethora of pillows and blankets to line the couch with, but it was still a far cry from being comfortable.  
The couch was uncomfortable... and his thoughts as well. They kept drifting back to Zechs. How would he broach the subject to the tall blond if he was male again? How would he deal with *them* then? Would there ever be a *them*? How would Zechs react to knowing that Lian was Wufei? Or... vice versa.  
Wufei tossed again. He didn't like these thoughts. What if... what if it didn't work? What if he was stuck like this? Would he tell Zechs the truth then? Or continue to lie? Could he be happy with Zechs, as a girl? Could he even be happy with Zechs as a man?  
That was a question he didn't have an answer for. Perhaps the only answer... was to try. 

* * *

Quatre cuddled up on Trowa. The bed really was too small for two people to comfortably rest, but they could make do. Especially considering Quatre's love of sleeping *on* Trowa instead of *beside* him. Quatre had offered the other bed to Wufei. Why did he have to sleep on a couch when Quatre wouldn't be using the one provided for him?  
But Wufei had vetoed that idea, offering Quatre and Trowa privacy. Quatre hadn't much liked the idea, but oh well. Wufei was one stubborn dragon when he wanted to be.  
Quatre nuzzled against Trowa's neck. He rather liked the way things were now. He thought Trowa was sexy in any form. And his breasts... well, they were quite comfy, after all, he smiled. But he would be very happy if they could get their old bodies back. Breasts were nice and all, but he missed the smooth planes of Trowa's chest, too. Their love was strong enough to survive anything, but Quatre missed the way things were. But as long as he had Trowa... it didn't matter what form either of them were in. If they were together, then they could handle whatever tomorrow brought.

* * *

Morning came to the house sooner than most had expected. Wufei was up and pretty much ready to get the day over with. Miranda and Terry where in the kitchen cooking and brewing coffee and tea for the guests. Sally and Noin where getting Quatre and Trowa up, and Duo and Heero... Well, they waited till Quatre was ready to get them up. Trowa's foot had practically hit the bottom of the stairs when a bang was heard from up stairs and then harmonising yelling.

"QUATRE!"

"OMAE O KOROSU!"

Trowa looked at Wufei and sighed before walking over to the Chinese girl. Wufei watched as Quatre leapt down half a flight of stairs and run behind Trowa and Wufei. The next thing that happened was Duo doing the exact same thing only falling as she reached the bottom.

"I told you not to do that!" Heero said slowly walking down the stairs as Duo ran around after Quatre. Quatre then tried to run up the stairs only to get caught by Heero and have a tickle attack by the couple. Trowa and Wufei sighed once again.

"Is Quatre like this with you?" Wufei asked leaning in close to Trowa.

"Not exactly," Trowa stated. "Much kinder to me."

"I think you better get used to it because this is what you have to live with." Wufei smiled in a teasing way as they watched the three teens now attacking each other playfully.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Trowa laughed as he watched the three. After Wufei and Trowa finally got the three to calm down they went into the kitchen to eat and talk before getting ready for the big day ahead. Finally one step closer to getting back to normal.

* * *

Miranda looked over the people at her kitchen table. She'd been able to do nothing more than stand wide-eyed as the kids blurred around, talking, yelling... tickling each other; she didn't even want to know what that boom was she'd heard. Terry had laughed at her shock, and joined right in with the others teasing the small blond. That was one of Terry's more amazing qualities. He might stand out in a crowd... but he could fit in with anyone. He just had one of those personalities.  
At least now they were quieter, Miranda thought. And she would have an opportunity to explain some things.  
"My personal lab is located underneath the house," Miranda said. "I discovered the best way, I think, to reverse what's effecting you five is to expose you to radiation and certain airborne chemicals. They'll be quite similar to the ones you were first exposed to. I have no guarantee this will work. I considered taking blood samples from each of you and testing them, but if the tests I've already ran are correct, it wouldn't do much good. There's something about the toxins that work only on living, breathing beings. That means live humans."  
"That means this is a wild-shot," Quatre murmured.  
"Exactly. I think it would be best to try this on one person to begin with, then if it works, do the rest of you. I know it was all at once the first time, but I would be better able to do this one at a time. That way I can directly control exactly how much of the toxins each of you are exposed to."  
"Sounds like a good enough plan, doc," Noin nodded.  
"I'll go first," Heero said, looking up from his plate of food.  
"Nuh-uh, buddy!" Duo said. "No."  
"It makes sense, Duo," Heero argued, not seeing why Duo would be so upset over this. It was nothing different than anything he'd done before, right?  
"I am the leader. I also have more immunity to diseases and toxins. If it works on me, then it is *certain* to work on the rest of you."  
"I don't like it," Quatre pouted. "But it does make sense. One of us will have to go first. It only makes sense for Heero to be first. In fact, numerical order would probably work best, all things given."  
Trowa nodded.  
Miranda looked around the small group. "Okay then. It's settled. As soon as breakfast is over, we'll all head down to the lab."

* * *

As soon as breakfast was over each pilot went upstairs to change into the cloths they wore on the original day they were turned into girls. It didn't take them long to get changed. Duo however wouldn't keep his eyes off Heero. What if it went wrong? What if Heero didn't come out alive? What if instead of curing them it killed them? So much for positive thinking! Duo sighed should he really tell Heero his feelings before they go through with this? What if he did and Heero didn't feel the same way? What would happen if Heero hated him for this and it did go right and they had to live awkwardly? Why was Duo thinking this way? Duo sighed again. He had to tell him. He had to tell him now.

"Heero can I-"a knock came on the door with Wufei's voice on the other side.

"Come on you two we're ready," Wufei called. Heero only walked over to the door and opened it.

"Heero I..."

"Duo you can tell me once it's done," Heero said walking out the door. Duo ran after Heero and tried to pull Heero away from the others.

"Heero this is..."

"Look Duo!" Duo was getting on Heero's last nerve. "I know you want to talk but I have to do this. You can talk to me after this works, okay?" Duo shut up and only looked away as Miranda led Heero into the room for the experiment. The tension in the room was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Duo didn't want to look. He couldn't he just prayed to anyone who would listen that Heero would be fine. He stood next to the other boys as they waited for the results. Duo held his breath as he heard noises come from the lab.

This section of the lab seemed newer to Wufei. It was a completely enclosed small room- not much bigger than a closet, really- with a single door made of glass, so that the gathered four teenagers and two women could see inside.  
Miranda was at a computer on a desk next to it. From what Wufei could tell, she was initiating the program that would release the radiation and chemicals into the small room. From around the room the noises, quite familiar to what they'd heard before, echoed. Hissing and gurgling as chemicals mixed and vaporized and condensed and vaporized again. A complex process that Wufei knew he'd never understand.  
Duo wanted to turn away. He wanted to look somewhere else. Anywhere than at Heero, standing there so impassively as the finally... the vents unlocked, and Duo could see the faint mist curling into the room. It drifted around saturating the small room, wrapping itself around the lone occupant. Heero stood, breathing normally as the mist drifted into his lungs, clung to his skin.  
Through the glass door, Prussian eyes locked with Violet, and Heero smiled a little. 'See?' he motioned with his hands. 'Nothing to worry about.'  
Duo wanted to sigh in relief. He could see before his eyes Heero's hair shortening. He could see the chest shrinking back to normal size, see the arms strengthening themselves back up. It was a slow process, and Heero winced as he felt his body trying to readjust itself, as his body tried to fix itself to what his genes were changing to, to what they now said was how he should look.  
Duo frowned as Heero winced, doubling over, a gasp being offered up to the room.  
"Something's wrong," Duo said, worried. "Doc, something's not right. It shouldn't hurt, should it? It didn't hurt last time, all it did was itch!"  
Miranda's eyes glanced from her computer to the door, where Heero'd collapsed to his knees.  
"Stop it!" Duo cried, running to the door. "Stop it, it's killing him! No!" He pounded his fist against the door, trying in vain to pull it open. "Unlock the door!"  
Miranda's fingers flew across the keys. "I can't stop it. The process has already run, it just needs a minute to clear out the excess radiation and chemicals.  
Once more, Duo's eyes met Heero's. Duo's were wide and panicked, and Heero's were worried, regretful. And then, Heero collapsed, slumping down to his side, unconscious, as the pain consumed him.  
"No!" Duo screamed. "No!"


	9. Chapter 9

Quatre watched everything that happened. As he saw Heero collapse it seemed like his whole body was shutting down. The emotions of everyone around was too much. Quatre blinked as everything seemed in slow motion like in one of those cheesy love action films. First everything went silent as people's voices turned into muffled cries... The sounds of heart beats filled the room. The machines quietened down. The image of Duo running to the door as the glass door opened. The flowing hair of Miranda flew past him. Sally and Noin slowly ran both with tears forming in their eyes. The fear now written on Wufei and Trowa's face.

Pain, regret, sadness, heartbreak, worry.

All consumed Quatre's body, too much for him to handle. His knees buckled as his vision went grey. Trowa turned as he saw Quatre faint. His lips cried out for Quatre to pull it together. Quatre's eyes shut as he turned back to everyone. Trowa figured that it was an overload of emotions that caused Quatre to faint. It hadn't been the first time Quatre had fainted or almost fainted because of an overload of pain. Just... Why now? Trowa prayed that it didn't mean Heero was dead...

Miranda checked for a pulse on Heero's neck she waited a minute looking at her watch. Had she miscalculated? She had seen the look on Duo's face... Love! If Miranda had killed Heero... Duo would never forgive her and she'd probably never look at the boys the same way again. She prayed to God that she had done it right.

* * *

Duo shoved Miranda out of the way, not caring if she was a doctor or not. She'd put Heero in that contraption. Whatever happened would be her fault!  
"Heero," Duo cried, gathering up the body into his arms. "No, Heero. You wouldn't even let me tell you! Damn you, 'Ro. You wouldn't even wait two minutes for me to tell you that I... to tell you that I love you!" Tears filled Duo's violet eyes, crashing to the floor, to Heero's chest like so many raindrops.  
"No," the brunette wept. "No." 

* * *

"Quatre? Quatre?" Trowa demanded as his arms wrapped around his lover, hoping to keep him upright.  
"Too many," Quatre murmured. "Too much."  
Trowa spared one last look at Duo, cradling Heero's seemingly lifeless body, then at Quatre. It wasn't very hard to make up his mind as he turned and pulled Quatre away from them, away from the lab. Maybe distance would dull the emotions.  
Maybe.

* * *

Duo let the tears continue to fall on to Heero's lifeless body. Miranda could only look away as she saw two just there. It was sad... too sad for words. Wufei rested a hand on Miranda's shoulder to stop the poor thing from crying. Noin and Sally tried to stop their tears flowing from their eyes but it was no use. No tears could be stopped.

"Love you..." Duo's tear's stopped as he watched Heero's chest cough a few times. What? Duo looked at Heero's face. That stoic face was soft, loving... almost sleep like. Duo tried to blink the tears away but they just kept coming.

"Heero Yuy, you baka! I'M GOING TO OMAE O KOROSU YOU!" Duo yelled drawing everyone's attention. Heero laughed at Duo's bad Japanese. Heero placed a hand on the braided girls face and leaned up to kiss her.

"Ai shiteru Duo." Heero slowly sat up and smiled as disbelief came to Duo's face. Was she dreaming? Not likely!

"Heero..." There was a silence in the room before Duo latched on to Duo hugging the boy with all her strength. Heero gave a small chuckle before wrapping his arms around Duo. Noin and Sally bounced around like school girls as they saw the Perfect soldier back to normal. Miranda only hugged Wufei gaining a blush from the loner.

* * *

Trowa rested Quatre on the sofa with the help of Terry. Terry went to get something for Quatre to drink while Trowa brushed the stray bangs from Quatre's face. Terry returned back with a glass of water and got Quatre to drink it. Quatre's eyes started to flutter open. Trowa sighed. Looks like the pain had stopped. Quatre turned to Trowa and Terry and smiled amazingly at them.

"It worked," Quatre whispered. Trowa brushed the hair away from Quatre's face.  
"What did?" Trowa asked softly stroking Quatre's hand.  
"Duo and Heero..."

* * *

Miranda wiped at her eyes as she pulled away from Wufei. "It worked," she whispered. "It worked."  
"He was in ALOT of pain," Wufei pointed out.  
Miranda laughed, pulling out a stethoscope and eagerly attacking Heero. She worked around Duo, without the heart to push the brunette away. "He may have been in pain, but he's male again!" She skewered Heero with a glance. "You *are* all male again, right? Nothing under the hood we should worry about at the moment?"  
Heero blushed, and hide his face in Duo's neck, earning a shrieking 'Aww, how cute!' from Sally and Noin. "All accounted for, thank you very much," he said.  
Miranda withdrew a syringe from somewhere, duly taking a blood sample, and eagerly flitting about the lab, doing who knows what with it.  
"It worked perfectly," Miranda said. It's exactly identical to the way he was before! As if the change never took place. I'd say he'd probably got a fair amount *more* understanding for women now, but physically he's all male again! Astounding!"  
"Pain, Doctor Lucas, Pain," Wufei reminded her.  
Trowa came back in, arms wrapped tightly around Quatre, who was smiling. The blonde's smile only got bigger when he saw Duo and Heero, still pretty much wrapped up in each other on the floor.  
"Right, the pain factor. Hmm," Miranda double checked her notes and began flitting through several programs and scenarios. "Hn. I can't get rid of the pain, but I can add an sleep inducer and a pain killer into the mixture. It'll knock you out for the duration of the change, and about fifteen twenty minutes after. Yes, yes. That seems to be the best option."  
"Sounds a bit like the original change," Wufei surmised. "How long will it take you to fix it?"  
Miranda was already flitting around. She was tinkering with the machine, adding a few drops of something here, a few cc's there. Adjust this, twist that.  
"Just about... there. That should do it. So who's going to go next?"  
"I will," Duo looked up. "I'm going next."  
"That will be fine," she nodded.  
"Duo," Heero whispered, looking at the brunette. The girl looked down at him. "Ai shiteru," Heero said. Duo smiled brightly.  
"Love you, too, 'Ro."  
Noin and Wufei helped Heero to sit up, and helped move him out of the room. Duo spared him one last kiss before going back inside the room.  
Duo waved at them.  
"Wish me luck," He grinned, and then the door closed and locked.

* * *

One after another each girl was transformed back into a boy; Duo, then Wufei, then Quatre and Trowa. Finally they were back to normal. Miranda, Noin and Sally watched as Duo, Heero and Terry helped bring the unconscious boys upstairs and into the living room. It would only be a little while before they all woke up from their sleep. Miranda then did a few checkups on them. Apart from knowing if all their parts were there everything seemed fine. Duo and Heero sat on the two seated couch talking while one by one the others started to wake up.

"About time you all woke up," Duo chirped as he laughed at the still half asleep boys. "Miranda told us that when you woke up to ask if you were all fully male." Each one of the half asleep boys blushed. Heero and Duo laughed.

"Now there's a sight for sore eyes."

All the boys turned to see Noin and Sally smiling in the door way. "You guys may not be as cute as you were when you were girls..."

"But you're damn cute now." Noin smiled. Each one blushed at the comment. It was amazing to be back to normal and not worry about hiding anymore. "Hey Miranda has food on and is almost done. Who knew that a Doctor could be good at cooking?" Noin laughed. Sally almost glared at the woman.

"I make one mistake and you can't let it go," Sally glared and everyone laughed.

* * *

After all the food was done all the boys sat down and started talking about random things. Each one laughing at something Duo had said. Heero tried to calm down the hyperactive boy only to amuse the others more. Quatre leaned against Trowa and smiled. It was nice to lean on Trowa's smooth well built chest again. Trowa's attention caught Wufei's and both nodded.

"One thing we haven't done in a while is gone out to Jessie's," Trowa stated.

"I think it would be nice to go out after we get back," Wufei added. Duo then wrapped an arm around Wufei and grinned like the Devil.

"Maybe we can add Wufei's Zechs to the equation," Duo suggested. Everyone's mouth dropped. How the hell had Duo figured that out? Wufei then hit Duo in the head.

"Duo no baka!" Wufei spoke.

"How the Hell did you find out?" Heero asked helping Duo cower from Wufei.

"Hey I might be childlike but I can see when someone likes someone..." Then Duo gave a small wink.

* * *

Zechs was completely floored when he finally returned from Ilyana Winner's and back to Preventer's HQ. He walked into his office to find none other than Duo Maxwell perched on his desk. He almost had to do a double take. For a moment, he'd thought it was Dannielle. But no. Dannielle was definitely a girl... and this was definitely Duo Maxwell. Right down to the Preventer's uniform and tell-tale braid.  
"Maxwell," Zechs said coolly, not letting his surprise show.  
Duo smirked. "Don't do the whole 'Maxwell' thing with me," he said. "I know you're probably surprised to see me. Mission went well, but we're all taking a few days off to rest. We all turned in our reports to Une, but of course she had us deliver them in person," he rolled his eyes.  
"Of course," Zechs replied. He thought for a moment. You couldn't make friends without first offering the hand of friendship, he thought, remembering his conversation with Ilyana. Maybe... maybe he really could be friends with the pilots. "She's always been kinda crazy like that."  
Duo laughed brightly.  
"Listen," The violet eyed boy said, leaning forward. "Me and the others, and Sally and Noin were all planning on hitting Jessie's Bar to kinda celebrate this mission being over and done with." He tilted his head, and once more Zechs was hit with a reminder of Dannielle.  
"You don't have a sister, too, do you?" He blurted out before he could stop himself. Duo frowned, and then grinned like he knew something Zechs didn't.  
"Nope. Can't say that I do. Anyways, I was gonna ask if you'd like to come out to Jessie's with us, tonight?"  
"Why do you want me to come?" Zechs asked, and then cursed himself. But he had to know. They'd never once offered friendship to him, or even simple camaraderie.  
Duo smiled. "Because we do," he said. "A few little birdies told us you weren't quite as evil as we thought. So? You wanna come?"  
Zechs thought. "Sure. What time? And where is this bar?"  
Duo grinned brightly. "We'll be hitting the bar about seven, I guess. Why don't you meet at Wufei's, and he can bring you? You've got his number, right? That'll work! Bye now!"

* * *

Wufei looked in the mirror at himself. He didn't look to bad. Black jeans with a white shirt with a white-silver dragon going from his stomach to his chest. Wufei sighed. It was the best he was going to get. Wufei smiled. Trowa's plan was going well, or at least he hopped it was. A knock was heard at the door. Wufei walked over to the door and saw Zechs standing there. Wufei's mouth dropped. WOW!

* * *

"Trowa you almost ready?" Quatre asked from the living room.

"Almost," Trowa called back as he grabbed his coat with a small object in it that was very important for the plan. Trowa then shut the bed room door and placed his coat on. He smiled at his little angel. Before anything could be done or said Trowa pushed Quatre up against the door and rammed his lips onto the younger boy's. Trowa's arms wrapped firmly around Quatre's waist, pulling the blond closer each second. Quatre had expected something like this from Trowa since they got back to normal but they hadn't had much time, what with their plans for Zechs and Wufei – which Duo became in on. Also there was going back to base, begging Une to give them all time off plus giving in their reports. Quatre wrapped his arms around Trowa's neck as a tongue invaded his mouth. A moan came from Quatre as their tongues danced together. It felt nice to kiss normally once again. Trowa pulled away and rubbed noses with Quatre's. Quatre only giggled.

"Come on, you hopeless romantic," Quatre giggled giving a peck. "We're going to be late."

"No for once," Trowa started. "Duo will be early." Quatre and Trowa laughed as they walked out of the house and over to the car.

* * *

"So he was really alright with it?"

Heero sat in the living room waiting for Duo. So much for getting there early. He should know by now that with Duo you have to get ready extra, extra early. Unfortunately Heero was only an old dog who couldn't learn new tricks in this situation. Heero turned around as he heard a noise and there was his Duo smiling happily at him. Heero hadn't stopped smiling since he had been with Duo. This was something to get use to. However getting use to being around Zechs would be hard, but he was sure all of them could manage.

"Yeah, but I'm surprise he didn't enquire about Wufei." Duo chuckled walking to grab his leather jacket. "Oh well. Hope everything goes alright tonight." Heero nodded and walked over to Duo.

"I'm sure everything will be fine." Heero said before kissing Duo.

"And I didn't really give him any chance to say no or back out," Duo giggled, pulling his lips away from Heero's. He was really going to have to get used to this. Not much had really changed between them... but oh, wow... he could certainly get used to the kisses. Kisses were really, really, really nice. Especially when it was Heero Yuy the one giving them to you... oh, wow...  
"Duo no baka," Heero chuckled lovingly, pulling away. Some things were just... simply Duo.  
"But *your* baka," Duo laughed, kissing him once more before pulling him towards the door. "Now come on! I wanna get there on time. Wufei told me that we really don't want to miss tonight!"  
"Hmm?"  
"I don't know, but I'm gonna find out, so come on!"  
"Okay, okay. Let's go." 

* * *

"H...Hello," Wufei said. Zechs was standing in front of him, dressed to kill in black slacks and a ruby red button-down shirt, the top few buttons undone.  
"Hello, Wufei," Zechs replied. "Duo told me to... You were expecting me, right?"  
"Oh, yes. Of course. Forgive me. He called an hour or so ago to tell me. I'm afraid he and Quatre have their eyes set on matchmaking, since they're all so happy and in love," he sighed.  
Zechs chuckled. "So... who's the lucky lady for Duo? I hadn't heard he was going steady with anyone."  
"He wasn't. And if Heero hears that you called him a lady, you'd best run and hide."  
"Yuy? Duo and Heero Yuy? Well, I'll be... I never would have expected that."  
Wufei looked at him. "Really? All of us did. Those two were perfect for each other... they just needed to realize it."  
Zechs laughed. "Yeah, I guess so. Oh, and before I forget..." He dug in his pocket and withdrew a thin silver chain, a small yin-yang symbol dangling on the end of it.  
"My pendant," Wufei gasped, before he realized what he'd said. His hands went for the family heirloom before he even realized he moved.  
"Yours?" Zechs asked, twisting his hand out of the way, bringing the necklace out of Wufei's reach. "I thought it was Lian's. Just who was that at Ilyana Winner's place? And why is Lian Chang listed as deceased? Tell me, Wufei... just what the hell is going on here?"

Wufei had to think quickly or otherwise he was in big trouble. Think! What would Heero or Quatre say in this position? That was it tell the old story of how Lian actually gave it to Wufei.

"I gave it to Lian awhile ago. It was mine." Of course he had to change the people around. "I gave it to her after the colony was destroyed."

"Then how do you explain why she is said to be deceased?" Zechs asked moving his arm as Wufei tried to pounce on it.

"Damn it Zechs! I don't know! Just give it back!" Wufei snapped. He may have liked Zechs but God he was annoying.

"Make me!" Zechs smirked. Only one thing boiled in Wufei's mind. Wufei grabbed Zechs' shirt and pulled downwards on it. Wufei's lips crushed Zechs' lips causing the taller pilot to almost stumble to the ground. Zechs might have been confused but he couldn't help but feel that this was right. Zechs wrapped his arms around Wufei's waist as Wufei's arms slipped around Zechs' neck. The kiss was urgent yet the fires of passion and desperation flew all around them. Their teeth nip on soft lips that spread apart to let tongues intertwine in a fiery wild kiss. Wufei pulled away and quickly snatched the pendant away from Zechs. It was then he realised what he had done. CRAP!

Wufei turned away from Zechs as Zechs pondered. The kiss felt the exact same as when he got kissed by Lian... They were brother and sister but that didn't mean that they had the same kiss. No, it couldn't have been... Could it? Could Wufei somehow be Lian? It would make sense. Now that Zechs thought about it, it was very possible that the Gundam Pilots where those girls. Cat was Quatre, Lian Wufei, Duo Dannielle... Kimi was Heero and Tania was Trowa! Also Tania and Cat where supposedly going out so it made sense if they where Quatre and Trowa. Plus the way they acted. It made sense apart from why they were girls.

"Wufei..." Zechs didn't know what to say. "Why did you kiss me?"

Wufei only placed the pendant around his neck and kept turned away from Zechs. "I treasure this pendant and so does Lian. We've never let anyone touch it!" Wufei then turned around to face Zechs. "Zechs I have feelings for you and I can understand if you like my sister more than me but I want to know now if you like me?"

* * *

"QUATRE! TROWA!"

Quatre and Trowa turned to see Heero and Duo walking into the bar. Both smiled as they saw the two. Duo bounced over to them and gave Quatre a hug before they sat down and ordered a few drinks.

"Where are Fei and Zechs?" Duo asked taking a swig of his beer.

"They'll be here a little while. Their probably talking right now." Trowa explained.

Duo nodded and took another swig of his beer and saw that the pool table was free. "Come on Quatre. I'll play you in pool!"

"You're on!"

Trowa tilted his head to the side.  
"Heero," he asked, "Should I be worried that your boyfriend enjoys dragging mine off to 'play' all the time? They do do that quite often, don't they?"  
Heero smirked lightly, watching the two walk towards the table. "They do. But as long as at the end of the day Duo is still *my* boyfriend, I don't care. Besides... children will be children, as Sally always says when Duo does such things."  
"If Duo's a child... does that make you a paedophile?"  
Heero quirked his eyebrow at his taller friend. "Trowa? Has anyone ever told you that you have a very odd sense of humour?"  
Trowa nodded sagely. "Quatre does. All the time. But I usually shut him up by kissing him senseless."  
Heero couldn't help it... he laughed. 

* * *

"Do I like you?" Zechs repeated. "Of course I do. I wasn't exactly beating you off with a stick just now, was I?"  
"Ugh," Wufei growled. "You know what I mean. Do you like *me* or do you like *her*? Was kissing me any different than kissing her?"  
"How did you know I kissed her?" Zechs asked quietly. Wufei's eyes betrayed his shock at his miscalculation. He was letting his emotions override his sense of judgement... he wasn't *thinking* about what he was *saying*. And that wasn't always a good thing.  
"She told me," Wufei snapped, growing angrier. Angrier at himself, at Zechs... at everything.  
"When did you find out you had feelings for me?" Zechs questioned. He didn't know how... but he instinctively felt that Lian was Wufei. He didn't know how or why... but it made things immensely easier... and yet so much more complicated at the same time.  
Zechs stood his ground. The ball was in his court now, so to speak. He had the upper hand, he was in control, and some part of him got some quiet little thrill out of dominating Wufei like this, out of making such a strong man weak in the knees.  
Wufei backed up. "What?"  
"When did you find out you had feelings for me? I've never spent more than five minutes in your presence for the entire time we've known of each other. All together, I've sent more time with your *sister* than I have you. So? You only realize you like me when you find out I like your sister? Is that how it goes, Wufei?" He walked forward, backing Wufei up against the now closed door of Wufei's apartment. Once again Wufei had that fleeting feeling of being between a rock and a hard place.  
"I... I..." Wufei was floundering. He'd been caught in his own game, he realized. Looking into those expressive gray eyes, he realized he was already lost. Zechs knew.  
Zechs reached out, placing a hand on either side of Wufei's head to keep him locked in place.  
"Well?" Zechs breathed; face mere centimetres from Wufei's. "Is that how it is?"  
Wufei bit his lip, nodding. He'd do anything to just make this stop. He didn't like this feeling of helplessness.  
"I think not," Zechs countered. "I think... you've been lying to me all week, Chang Wufei. And I'll have none of it. I don't like being toyed with. That kiss felt way to familiar. I think I've kissed you before, Wufei. Only... I didn't know it was you. Do you realize how I've tortured myself all week? I couldn't determine if I liked Lian for her... or because she reminded me of you."  
His breath washed over Wufei's face.  
"I guess we know the answer now," he said before crashing his lips down on Wufei's. This kiss was just as brutal and passionate as the last, but Zechs was now the aggressor. His teeth nipped at Wufei's bottom lip, and his tongue plundered the other's mouth.  
Wufei whimpered and Zechs swallowed the sound, hands moving to hold the Chinese man up, to pull him into the kiss.  
"Kiss me, damn you," Zechs whispered against Wufei's lips. "Kiss me like I know you can, little dragon."  
The commands broke through Wufei, and he did. He kissed Zechs back. Lips met, teeth nipped, tongues warred and danced in a battle as old as time. Zechs growled approval as his week of wondering, of torture was finally laid to rest in a storm of passion and fire.

Wufei just wanted to stay here and not go out with the others. But he had promised them and so he would have to bring this to a close sooner or later. A knock came on the door they where resting on. Both groaned and pulled away from each other. They opened the door and there stood Sally.

"About time," she said folding her arms. "We promised to give you a lift, now come on!" She placed her hands on her hips as she looked at the men... flushed faces, pink lips... Looks like Quatre's matchmaking had finally come to an end. Sally watched as Wufei went around his house looking for last minute things before walking to the car with his friends. Sally could see the slight brushing of hands and the quick winks and glances at each other.

* * *

Quatre laughed as Duo grumbled about losing in the game of pool. It hadn't taken Quatre a good ten minutes to completely annihilate Duo. Duo was growling as Quatre continued to tease but Duo knew that and calmed down. The sound of the door to the noisy bar opened and there stood the four remaining adults of the group. Duo and Quatre called out to them. As the others walked over to them they all smirked as they saw the look in Wufei and Zechs' eyes.

"Pay up Duo." Trowa said holding out his hand. Quatre sighed as Duo handed over the twenty dollars he had bet. Trowa had bet that Wufei and Zechs would be together before they got to the bar while Duo thought they'd get together at the bar. Quatre and Heero had decided not to get involved and they were glad they didn't. Wufei would kill them if they had seen that.

Duo jumped from the bar stool and swung an arm around Wufei's neck and grinned. "Hey Fei how about buying first rounds?" Duo chirped. However all Wufei did was remove the arm from his neck and said.

"You lost a bet to Trowa and now you're asking me? I don't care what your bet was but I think you should buy the first round." Duo's mouth went wide open as a slight smirk crossed Heero and Quatre's face.

"You should care Wufei!" Quatre said.

"You of all people Wufei." Heero added.

Wufei's eyes narrowed at the two. "Why?"  
Quatre giggled. "Because they were betting... on you and Zechs hooking up. About how long the two of you would last."  
"Trowa won because he said 'before' you got here. Duo was gonna give it an hour or two after you got here," Heero added.  
"Zechs and Wufei are both stubborn... but no one can accuse them of being 'slow'," Trowa defended himself, wrapping his arms around Quatre from behind and resting his chin on the blondes head as both lovers examined their friend... and their friend's new lover.  
"In that case," Wufei smirked. "I vote Duo buys the first round... and Trowa buys the second!"  
Zechs couldn't help it. He burst out laughing and turned to Sally.  
"Are they always like this?"  
"Yup," the pigtailed doctor smiled. "Better get used to it, pal. You're a part of it now!"  
"The fun has arrived," came a sing-song voice from the door as Noin burst through, laughing.  
"Howie!" Duo exclaimed, seeing the old man beside her in the outlandish Hawaiian print shirt. "Dude! I didn't know you'd be here!"  
"An old friend of mine told me she'd just helped five boys with a bit of a medical crisis," Howard said with a smirk as he got close to the group. "So's I asked myself, 'Now Howard... what five boys do you know who'd have a medical crisis that'd need help from a geneticist?' I figured one way or another... it had something to do with your kids. Knew for certain when Mira let slip something about drama and 'those gorgeous violet eyes'!"  
The group all chuckled.  
"That's the Maxwell Charm," Duo laughed. "I'm unforgettable! Now Howie! You've gotta help me whip Quat's butt in pool!"  
"You're on, Maxwell," Quatre laughed pulling away from Trowa. "There's a *reason* that I'm the tactician in the group!"  
The two drug Howard away, Duo muttering something about using Quatre to hustle people with his puppy dog eyes and innocent looks.  
"I don't see how I never saw it before," Zechs shook his head. "I mean... it was all staring me right in the face. Literally! And you say I'm not 'slow'."  
Trowa chuckled. "Okay... so you *are* a little slow. Let's just chalk it up to us being very good actors."  
"Actresses," Noin corrected.  
"So..." Wufei asked in a whisper, sliding close to Trowa as Heero placed their order at the bar. "When and how are you going to do this?"  
Trowa smirked. "You'll know," he said cryptically. "Just wait and see."

"Wait and see what?" Noin asked causing everyone to look at Trowa and Wufei. Both looked at each other and sighed.

"Fine I was..."

"So you're finally going to ask?" Heero said with a smirk on his face. "Funny I always thought Quatre was the type but not you." The older three just looked at each other completely confused. Trowa glared at Duo.

"Wasn't Duo to get first rounds?" Sally asked watching them. Heero jumped down off the seat, grabbed Duo while Quatre was still hammering him and dragged him over to the bar to buy drinks. The night went on great more drinks were bought they all decided to have a pool championship in tag teams with Howard helping out any team when needed. In the final were Quatre and Trowa vs. Heero and Duo. It didn't take long for Quatre to completely thrash the couple. After a pool competition Duo got shots. Wufei, Heero, Quatre and Trowa groaned when they saw them.

"No one can beat him why do we bother?" Wufei whined leaning on Zechs. Zechs looked at his lover.

"What's wrong?" Zechs asked as Wufei looked up at him.

"Drinking contest... Duo wins every time." Quatre seemed to try and hide himself behind Trowa as Wufei spoke. This was going to be bad.

"I'll have a go I'm pretty good at hold my drink." Zechs said unaware of the danger of facing Duo in a drinking contest.

* * *

After ten minutes the only ones left where Duo and Zechs. Wufei and Quatre couldn't believe it. They had finally found someone who was good enough to hopefully beat Duo in a drinking contest. The final shot – or at least everyone hopped. A small shot of vodka. OH GOD! Was everyone's reaction! 3... 2... 1... GO! Down the drinks went burning their throats. Duo obviously couldn't take much more as he spat it over the floor. Everyone cheered as Zechs placed the empty cup on the bar table.

While everyone was cheering Wufei nudged Trowa. Trowa saw the glint in Wufei's eyes and nodded. He mentally sighed, it's now or never. Trowa grabbed Quatre's hand and pulled him away from the group. Trowa moved so that Quatre and himself were side on to the others. Trowa smiled slightly at Quatre's confused face. "Quatre there's something I want to tell you."

"What Trowa?"

Everyone watched as Trowa said something to Quatre that seemed to make Quatre stop breathing... Almost in shock. Quatre's hands where placed over his mouth as Trowa said something.

"What's going on?" Noin asked as she sat between Zechs and Howard.

"It's what Trowa's been planning all night!" Wufei stated as he smiled at Heero then they saw it happen.

"Quatre we've known each other for many years and from the moment I met you I knew I loved you. That you where the only person for me, the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. The only one I have ever loved." Quatre's hands went to his mouth – did he know already? "Even when you shot at me in Zero I couldn't stop loving you. Quatre you're my perfect guy. I'll never love anyone like I love you. So Little One what I'm asking is..." Trowa got down on one knee and pulled out a ring. "Will you marry me?"

Tears came to Quatre's eyes as he nodded. He didn't have to think about it. "Yes... Yes I will." Trowa placed the ring on Quatre's finger. As Trowa stood Quatre tackled him in a hug crushing their lips together. "I love you Trowa."

"I love you too, my Little One."

* * *

Owari


End file.
